Reform councillor defects to Tories after becoming 'uncomfortable' with party

A Reform UK councillor has defected to the Tories aft becoming "uncomfortable" with Nigel Farage's party.

James Buchan said helium wanted to beryllium capable to "look my household successful the oculus and say, 'that's not who I am'" aft his erstwhile enactment announced plans to scrap indefinite permission to remain.

The Dartford Borough councillor, who won his spot for Reform successful a by-election successful July, said the argumentation creates a "huge magnitude of fearfulness and anxiety".

He besides accused the enactment of having "a beauteous unfortunate mode of treating people".

Read more: What is indefinite permission to remain?

In a statement, Mr Buchan said: "I stood for predetermination with the sole purpose of moving for my assemblage and getting things done for section families.

"Having had the accidental to spot Reform from the inside, I've concluded that the enactment doesn't truly person the acquisition oregon ambition to bash that."

He said "relying connected rhetoric and slogans isn't going to assistance existent families successful communities" similar his and "the much I saw of Reform UK, the much uncomfortable I felt to beryllium portion of it".

"Things similar a connection to region indefinite permission to stay from each non-EU residents who are moving present perfectly legally is an illustration that could beryllium devastating for decent radical who person built a beingness present and lend to our country," helium added.

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Earlier this twelvemonth Reform announced it would axe indefinite permission to stay and regenerate it with caller visas that would necessitate migrants to reapply to unrecorded successful the UK arsenic portion of plans to tighten immigration.

Conservative assembly person Jeremy Kite welcomed Mr Buchan, who represents the Stone House ward, to the party.

"James knows that getting elected isn't astir power, it's astir work and being supportive of people," helium said.

A Reform root told the PA quality agency: "He got elected successful July 2025 arsenic a Reform councillor. He should resign his spot but helium won't due to the fact that helium knows helium volition suffer nether the Tory banner.

"We look guardant to winning this spot backmost arsenic soon arsenic possible."