Tories lining up to join Reform UK before ‘transfer saga’ ends, says Lammy

Conservative defections to Reform have made for “the longest and most disloyal transfer saga” since Sol Campbell left Tottenham for Arsenal on a free transfer, the Deputy Prime Minister has said.

David Lammy clashed with shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith at Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions, as the pair stood in for their party leaders while Sir Keir Starmer is away in China.

Mr Lammy joked that Conservative MPs were “lining up” to join Reform UK, after former home secretary Suella Braverman left Kemi Badenoch’s party to join Nigel Farage’s team earlier this week.

Mrs Badenoch’s shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick and shadow Foreign Office minister Andrew Rosindell have also joined Reform this year.

Mr Griffith labelled the Deputy Prime Minister “left behind Lammy”, whose job it was to “defend the indefensible”.

The Tory frontbencher claimed it would now cost up to £3,600 more to hire a young person under Labour, as a result of the Government’s policy choices.

“You can feel the Deputy Prime Minister’s frustration,” he said.

“The Prime Minister’s away, the Business Secretary (Peter Kyle) is away, and here is left behind Lammy, the designated survivor having to defend the indefensible.”

Mr Griffith asked “why unemployment has gone up almost every month” since Sir Keir entered No 10 in 2024.

Mr Lammy replied: “500,000 people in work more than a year ago.

“The shadow business secretary is in no position to lecture anyone about U-turns, by the way.

“This man was Boris Johnson’s net zero business champion. Now he opposes the renewable investment creating jobs and opportunities right across the country.”

Mr Griffith responded that “every Labour government leaves office with unemployment higher than when they arrived”, claiming the party did not “understand business”.

He asked: “Will he tell us his Government’s own estimate of the cost to business of the Un-Employment Act?”

Mr Lammy told the Commons: “My father was run out of business under the (Margaret) Thatcher government.

“I know what it’s like to grow up under a Tory government.

“And whilst we’re talking about it, 26 Tory MPs and counting have already defected to Reform and now they’re all counting down.”

The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the Tottenham MP, referred to Mr Farage’s suggestion he will not accept any more defections after the local elections on May 7.

“Today is 100 days until the Tory transfer window slams shut,” he told MPs.

“It’s going to be the longest and most disloyal transfer saga since Sol Campbell left Spurs.

“And the member for Clacton (Mr Farage), I don’t know where he is, has signed three right-wingers in the past fortnight.”

Mr Griffith began his final question by saying the Conservatives were “getting stronger”, to laughter from Labour MPs.

He said newspaper reports suggested former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner had 80 names who would back her in a leadership contest, if Sir Keir’s administration were to collapse.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s allies “claimed that he’s got 200 names”, Mr Griffith said, adding that “oddly, 50 of them want Mayor of Greater Manchester” Andy Burnham as leader.

“They’re supposed to be running the country, and once again, small businesses across this country will see that he didn’t answer the question,” he continued.

“So, I’ll tell him, £1 billion a year – that is the burden to businesses of their Bill.”

Mr Griffith asked: “Won’t the deputy prime minister admit what the members behind him are thinking, that it’s not the Prime Minister going to China that’s the problem, it’s the fear that he might come back?”

Mr Lammy replied: “He’s not going to get this gig again, is he? Let’s face it.”

The Deputy Prime Minister continued: “This was the week when the Leader of the Opposition (Mrs Badenoch) told Desert Island Discs that Britain needs to learn to queue again.

“And Tory MPs have taken her quite literally – they’re lining up outside the member for Clacton’s office while they squabble about the damage that they did to our country.

“Labour this week is capping ground rents, cutting the cost of living and rebuilding our public services.”