In a seismic shift for British politics, former Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has announced his defection to Reform UK, declaring the country is "drinking at the last chance saloon" and needs Nigel Farage as prime minister.
A Major Defection Announced
Nadhim Zahawi confirmed his move at a press conference in central London on Monday 12 January 2026, appearing alongside Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. The former MP for Stratford-on-Avon, who also led the UK's Covid vaccine rollout, stated he had allowed his Conservative Party membership to lapse in December 2025. He insisted his decision was driven by a belief the UK faces a "national emergency" and claimed he had not been promised a job in any future Farage government to secure his switch.
Addressing Past Controversies
The defection brings Zahawi's past under renewed scrutiny. He was sacked as Conservative Party chairman in 2023 for breaching the ministerial code over his tax affairs, later confirming he paid a nearly £5 million penalty to HMRC to settle the matter. At the press conference, Farage defended his new recruit, stating negotiations with HMRC were common for those with complex business affairs and praising Zahawi for staying in the UK to resolve it.
Zahawi also faced questions about past social media criticism of Farage, including a 2015 tweet where he called the Reform leader "offensive and racist". He dismissed these as old history, telling reporters: "Good on you for digging out tweets from 11 years ago". Similarly, Farage brushed off his own past criticism of Zahawi for "climbing the greasy pole" when he became chancellor in 2022.
Reform's Growing Ranks and Tory Reaction
Farage asserted that Zahawi's arrival dispels the notion that Reform UK is a "one-man band". Zahawi is arguably the most significant Conservative defector to date, following sitting MP for East Wiltshire Danny Kruger and ex-MPs including Dame Andrea Jenkyns.
The Conservative Party responded with scorn, describing Zahawi's move as the latest of a number of "has-been politicians looking for their next gravy train". A Tory spokesman highlighted Zahawi's past comment that he would be "frightened to live in a country" run by Farage, adding: "Reform want higher welfare spending and higher taxes. They are a one-man band with no plan for our country."
This dramatic defection marks a new phase in the realignment of the UK's political right, injecting a high-profile former minister into Reform's campaign to challenge the established Conservative vote.
