Former Conservative MP Marco Longhi has revealed the emotional toll of his defection to Reform UK, saying the experience of being in the Tory Party towards the end of his tenure “effectively broke me.”
Speaking to GB News, Longhi said: “The Conservative Party has betrayed the country. The Conservative Party has made promise after promise that it would deal with the economy and it would deal with immigration.”
“What’s happened? Every single time those promises have been betrayed,” he added.
“The betrayal has been of such huge proportion I just thought I couldn’t live that lie anymore.”
Marco Longhi said he wanted Robert Jenrick to be Tory leader
GB NEWS
The defection comes as Reform UK has surged in popularity, with a new YouGov poll showing the party nearly level with Labour.
The poll, released yesterday, puts Reform at 25 percent, just one point behind Keir Starmer’s governing Labour Party at 26 per cent.
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Nigel FaragePAThis represents a dramatic 10-point rise for Reform since the July general election.
The anti-immigration party has now pushed the Conservatives into third place, with Kemi Badenoch’s party polling at 22 per cent.
The shift coincides with a significant drop in Labour support, with the governing party seeing its backing fall by nearly 10 percentage points since taking power.
Longhi emphasised his shift in loyalty, telling GB News: “I’m a very, very loyal person and Nigel Farage and Reform have won that loyalty over.”
Marco Longhi spoke to Jack Carson on GB News
GB NEWS
The former Conservative MP said his decision to switch parties was well-received locally.
“When I announced my change to Reform, I had huge support from the local community,” he said.
He insisted his core values remained unchanged despite the move: “I haven’t changed as a person, I will always stand up for local people. I will always put people first.”
The defection highlights broader challenges for the Conservative Party under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership following their historic defeat in last year’s general election.
According to the YouGov poll, the Conservatives have lost 15 percent of their 2024 voters to Reform UK.
The party’s struggles come amid Reform’s growing appeal, particularly on immigration policy, with the YouGov survey showing Reform as the most favoured party to handle immigration issues.
The Conservatives maintain an edge in one area, being backed as the most “trusted” to tackle Britain’s economy, according to the polling for The Times.
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