Former Tory MP Lee Anderson joins Reform UK
The MP for Ashfield was suspended last month over claims 'Islamists' had 'got control' of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, ITV News Political Correspondent Harry Horton reports
Former Tory MP Lee Anderson has defected to Reform UK, saying he could not be a member of a party that “stifles free speech”.
The move, which comes after weeks of speculation about a possible defection by Mr Anderson, gives Reform UK its first MP.
Reform's leader Richard Tice made the announcement on Monday morning.
The spontaneous press conference was chaotic, with a flag having to be moved because it was in the way of the speech, and Mr Anderson asking "who's laughing?" as he started speaking.
The MP for Ashfield was suspended from the Conservative parliamentary party last month after refusing to apologise for claiming “Islamists” had “got control” of London mayor Sadiq Khan.
He started his speech on Monday by saying: “I want my country back.
“Over the last year or so I’ve had to do a lot of soul searching on my political journey.
“I don’t expect much in politics other than to be able to speak my mind.”
Lee Anderson's speech in full
He said this has lead him to be “labelled as controversial,” but argued it is “not controversial to be concerned about immigration” or to “fight back in a culture war”.
Mr Anderson continued: “It is no secret that I’ve been talking to my friends in Reform for a while. And Reform UK has offered me the chance to speak out in Parliament on behalf of millions of people up and down the country who feel that they’re not being listened to.
“People will say that I’ve took a gamble. And I’m prepared to gamble on myself, as I know from my mailbag how many people in this country support Reform UK and what they have to say. And like millions of people up and down the country, all I want is my country back.”
Mr Tice said he had found a “champion of the Red Wall for Reform UK” in welcoming Mr Anderson to his party.
“He’s also coincidentally going to be Reform UK’s first Member of Parliament in the House of Commons.
“He is, of course, a person of great integrity, no nonsense, and is the Member of Parliament in the county of Nottinghamshire for Ashfield.”
Mr Anderson told ITV News his "inbox has been absolutely solid with support from the people of Ashfield".
He said his constituents will have a "decision to make" at the general election.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said Mr Anderson has "made a real mistake, because as he has said in his own words, Reform is not the answer, and a vote for Reform will only let in a Labour government".
The Conservative Party expressed “regret” at Lee Anderson’s decision to join Reform UK, saying a vote for the right-wing party will fail to deliver anything but a Labour government.
A Tory spokesperson said: “Lee himself said he fully accepted that the Chief Whip had no option but to suspend the whip in these circumstances. We regret he’s made this decision.
“Voting for Reform can’t deliver anything apart from a Keir Starmer-led Labour government that would take us back to square one – which means higher taxes, higher energy costs, no action on channel crossings, and uncontrolled immigration.”
The Ashfield MP told ITV News last month he would never apologise for what he said, even if it meant he had to “stand down or not stand at all”.
When asked about whether he would join Reform UK, he said “I’m not prepared to discuss my political journey beyond this week."
Mr Anderson will now have represented three different parties after previously being a member of the Labour party - being elected as a Labour councillor in the 2015 Ashfield District Council elections.
He also resigned as Deputy Chair of the Tory party in January because he voted against the government's Rwanda Bill.
The MP is also paid £100,000 a year to present a programme on GB News, called 'Lee Anderson's Real World'.
After the comments made by Mr Anderson, there was growing pressure on the prime minister to label what he said as "Islamophobic" and "racist".
In an interview with ITV News following his comments, Mr Anderson said "I'm not Islamophobic".
Some Tories see Reform UK as a challenger at the general election expected this year, with signs of growing support for the party as it polls at around 10% of national voting intention.
Arch Brexiteer Mr Farage is the honorary president of the party, which is seeking to attract disillusioned Conservative voters mainly over the issue of immigration.
Mr Farage tweeted on Monday "Lee Anderson moving to Reform is huge. I don't think Westminster really understands this yet".
Reform finished in third place in two recent by-elections, although its candidate in the Rochdale contest – former Labour MP Simon Danczuk – had a poor showing.
Lee Anderson’s defection to Reform UK “tells us all we need to know” about the MP and the party, anti-extremism campaign group Hope not Hate has said.
Director of campaigns Georgie Laming said: “Lee Anderson is one of the most extreme and divisive MPs in Parliament. He’s said immigrants should ‘f*** off back to France’ and made Islamophobic comments about Sadiq Khan.
“Joining Reform UK tells us all we need to know about Anderson and his new party.”
The comments by the Ashfield MP have coincided with growing concern within government around tackling extremism.
Rishi Sunak made a surprise speech on Downing Street on March 1 where he warned there were "forces trying to tear us apart" in the UK, and that "democracy itself it a target".
The government is also expected to lay out a new definition of extremism this week, which has led to concern from three former home secretaries who have written a letter saying tackling extremism must not become political football.
Dame Priti Patel, Sir Sajid Javid and Amber Rudd are among the signatories to a statement calling for “as broad a consensus as possible” in tackling extremism from Islamists, far-right groups and others.
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