Culture Society, Identity and Belonging
Lee Anderson’s defection to the populist Reform party could be one of the (many) Westminster moments that sinks without a trace. Or maybe not. Anderson, a former Conservative MP, GB News presenter and one-time party deputy chairman, lost the whip last month after he refused to apologise for saying that London’s mayor Sadiq Khan was under the control of Islamists. He is now Reform’s first MP, with the party polling at around 12 per cent – a high enough figure to erode the Conservative Party’s vote share. One Tory MP said Anderson’s departure “ramps up" the possibility of an early election, adding: “I don't think anyone really thinks things will improve under the current regime.” Either way, Anderson has ruled out a byelection, so the voters of Ashfield, a Red Wall seat, will not get a chance to have their say until the whole country goes to the polls.