Twenty councillors have walked away from the Conservatives to join Reform UK, as Kemi Badenoch admits her party is “shedding a lot of baggage”.
Nigel Farage’s party unveiled 20 defections on Tuesday, the eve of the Conservative annual conference finale in Manchester where Mrs Badenoch will make her closing speech.
The boost to Reform UK’s ranks in town halls throughout the country follows several wins in the May elections earlier this year.
But Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch said she would measure her party’s success “at the next general election”.
She told LBC Radio: “The last oppositions were 14, 13, 18 years. I’ve been doing the job 11 months.
“This conference is where we are showing the direction of travel: a stronger economy, stronger borders and that we’re the only party tough enough and competent enough to deliver both.”
Asked why her party was losing supporters, Mrs Badenoch added: “What we are doing is shedding a lot of the baggage of the last 14 years.
“I remember last year we had people defecting to Labour because Labour was doing well in the polls. Now we have people defecting to Reform because Reform is doing well in the polls.
“We need people who are in our party for the right reasons.”
The North West Essex MP also said she was “very sorry that some people believe that they cannot wait” but warned she “will not be rushed into making mistakes”.
A Tory source criticised Mrs Badenoch’s response to the defections, saying they had made the Conservatives “sound like a protest party”, and expressed concern more could follow ahead of her speech on Wednesday.
Tuesday’s defections were Mark Whittington (South Kesteven), Brett Rosehill and Caroline Clapper (Hertsmere), Duane Farr and Cameron Adams (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole), Denise Howard (East Riding of Yorkshire), Debbie Soloman (Rushcliffe), Emma Elliott, Aaron Elliott, Gary Harding and David Beattie (Gravesham), Barry Dunning (Hampshire), Robbie Lammas (Medway), Paul Miller (Basingstoke and Deane), Jack Rydeheard (Bury), Mathew Forshaw (South Ribble), Karl Arthur (North Yorkshire), Richard Craddock (Cannock Chase), Heike Sowa (Suffolk) and Christopher Marlow (Bromley).
Mr Farage said: “The Conservative Party is dead and can no longer serve as an effective Opposition.
“It is no wonder that councillors who actually want to fix this country are finding their natural home with Reform.“
Reform UK secured 677 seats at the local elections in May and took over several formerly Conservative-controlled authorities including Derbyshire, Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, North Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and West Northamptonshire.
The party also gained Doncaster from Labour.
East Wiltshire MP Danny Kruger left the Conservatives last month to join Reform.
