Thinking about the Conservative Party of old, would Kruger be described as significant?

Hard to overstate the damage this does to Badenoch. Just after her best week as party leader. That will be forgotten now Kruger was a prominent Tory: co-chair of the New Conservatives group, Johnson ally (a theme with Reform defectors), and campaign manager of Jenrick's 2024 leadership bid

A sign of the dam breaking? After a drip-drip of opportunistic-seeming ex-MP defections, this feels different. Kruger is seen as a party intellectual, relatively young and holds as safe a Tory seat as they come these days. And he declares: "The Conservative Party is over". Remarkable by any measure

Lots of people crediting Kruger as intellectual IMO has a muddled brain. Ripe for Reform. He is also a through and through opportunist. I don't underestimate the significance of this rat deserting sinking ship though. Who will jump next? Braverman?

If more people like Kruger defect this could feel threatening for Fartage. Having someone who has a bit of brain, some real political experience and who can close a door without having to pull their knuckles out of the way could be considered leadership potential.

#ReformPLC is owned 53% by Farage, so challenging for leadership will require a substantial restructuring and refinancing of the party. Of course, Kruger has his family money, but his new friends might be able to buy him some eyeliner and a way to shove Farage out of the way.

Rats. Sinking. Ship.

We remember the defections to UKIP. Same old same old.

Farage had better watch his back then.

does that suggest johnson and jenrick may be heading that way soon too? (ok so johnson is no longer an mp but still gets attention)

Johnson - the phoenix arising from the fagash, he then instantly bursts into flame, burning everything around him to a cinder

But did his constituents vote for Reform? No, so recall or byelelection needed.

In a functioning society he'd have no place in politics. He's as mad as box of frogs.

single-handedly making the tories slightly less toxic and rabid

Kruger ran rather than Kruger rand.

Kruger would actually like to join Yaxley_Lennon and the fascists but he's biding his time.

Reform is a company not a political party so he will work for Farage.

Danny is strange and quite contradictory in his views. Right-wing Christian but also seems unhappy with a lot of the things that changed culturally from Thatcher on.

And BBC / Sky News giving swathes of free publicity to Reform, again.

Reform voter's still swallowing the "conservative and Labour are the same, if you want change vote reform"? Same old Tory twats who fecked the country up over decades no doubt will roll out the line that it didn't work last time as they weren't cunty enough.