Tories facing electoral annihilation - so will more MPs follows Lee Anderson and join Reform?

Julia Hartley-Brewer looks into the possible electoral annihilation of the Tory party AFTER months of turmoil, in-fighting, plummeting poll ratings and no sign of an economic headwind to take the (very expensive) heat out of the rising cost of living, the inevitable finally happened. Lee Anderson, an MP elected on a Conservative ticket, decided enough was enough and defected to join Reform UK. The former deputy Tory party chairman — who lost the Conservative whip last month over his comments about Islamists controlling London mayor Sadiq Khan — announced he was joining Richard Tice’s party because, he said, the current “Parliament doesn’t seem to understand” what British people want. The news wouldn’t have come as a total surprise to Downing Street. Everyone knew Anderson had been in talks with Reform. Yet, while not a surprise, the MP’s departure has sent shockwaves through the heart of No 10 and among his colleagues on the Tory benches as well. They kno