TWO CONSERVATIVE councillors in Dorset are the latest to defect to Reform UK.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) councillor Duane Farr announced today (October 7) that he is joining Nigel Farage’s party after citing that “the Conservative party is over”

He is one of 20 Conservative councillors that have defected to Reform UK on the Tories’ third and final day of their party conference, alongside conservative BCP councillor.

Cllr Farr said he believes Reform UK are the only party that can deliver “the change Britain needs”.

Commenting on his defection, cllr Farr said: “Following a lot of thought I have come to the conclusion I no longer feel the Conservative Party is the right home for me.

“Having campaigned for Vote Leave and then joined the Conservatives to help deliver Brexit and support Boris Johnson, I believed it was the best vehicle to represent the will of the people. But that trust has been eroded – by the public, and by myself.”

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Areas of concern raised by cllr Farr include the Conservative’s ongoing alignment with European legal frameworks, particularly the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and a lack of progress on meaningful civil service and local government reform.

Reform UK posted this on their social media announcing the defection of BCP councillor Cameron Adams Picture: Reform UK

“The British people wanted to take back control – but despite leaving the EU, it doesn’t feel like we’re truly in control,” he said.

“We need to leave the ECHR and introduce a new, sovereign British Bill of Rights. Reform UK is the only party with the courage to follow through. I am proud to be joining them today – and I suspect others may follow.”

The move comes as a blow to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who is facing criticism of her leadership by Conservative members.

A recent YouGov poll revealed 50% of Conservative members believe Badenoch should not lead the party in the next election.

This comes after she suffered another blow after serving shadow minister MP Danny Kruger (East Wiltshire) opted to join Farage’s party just weeks before the Conservative conference began.

The YouGov poll also revealed that Robert Jenrick, current shadow secretary of state for justice and shadow lord chancellor, is the preferred alternative – while half of party members would support a merger with Reform UK.

A YouGov spokesperson said: “Among the party membership, outright dislike of Badenoch is in the minority, but it’s not insignificant.

“Three in ten members (29%) view Badenoch unfavourably, even if 70% see her in a positive light, while 37% of members believe she is doing a bad job as party leader, compared to 61% believing she’s doing a good job.

“And when it comes to the big question of whether Badenoch should lead the Tories into the next general election, party members are near evenly split: 50% believing that Badenoch should not lead the Conservatives at the ballot box, relative to 46% who feel she should be the party’s prime ministerial candidate in 2029.

“Even among those who voted for her to be party leader last year, 30% believe Badenoch should be replaced as party leader by the next general election.”

Badenoch defended her record amid today’s defections, saying the Conservative Party is “shedding a lot of the baggage of the last 14 years.”

Back in Dorset, cllr Farr said he expresses his continued respect for his colleagues in the Conservative Party, but made it clear that he sees Reform UK, under the leadership of Nigel Farage, as the “true party of national interest going forward.“

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