Minister Calls Reform ‘Retirement Home For Failed Tories’

A Labour minister humiliated a Reform politician on BBC Question Time by describing the party as a “retirement home for failed Tories”.

Nadine Dorries – a former Conservative MP, ex-culture secretary and strong ally to Boris Johnson – defected to Reform last September, claiming the Tory Party was “dead”.

When discussing a question about climbing house prices in Bristol, Dorries acknowledged that the Conservatives had also failed to reach their housing targets when in office – and predicted Labour will also miss their 1.5 million new homes goal.

Dorries, now a Daily Mail columnist, claimed the problem was the “two main parties cannot lead the country”, adding: “That’s why I went to Reform.

“It’s time for a party that is going to be absolutely radical, that is going to bring forward change, that is going to change this, introduce growth, and change this housing.”

Defence minister Luke Pollard replied: “I don’t think you can have a new party when you’re just a retirement home for failed Tories.”

Amid widespread applause and laughter from the audience, he added: “That’s not a new party Nadine, it’s not.”

Dorries replied: “You can’t make that accusation without me coming back. Reform is the party of hundreds and thousands.

“That’s the difference between me and you. We’re a proper grassroots party of hundreds of thousands!”

Reform currently has eight MPs, with each one – including Nigel Farage – being a member of the Conservative Party at some point.

A total of 27 former Tory MPs have defected to join the rising right-wing party so far, including Dorries, ex-home secretary Suella Braverman and former Tory frontbencher Robert Jenrick.

According to Best for Britain’s tracker, Tory defections to Reform rose by 462% in 2025 compared to 2024 with 81 serving Reform councillors previously holding office for the Tories.