The Latest Breaking News from Nadhim Zahawi

Robert Jenrick will be unveiled as Reform’s chancellor-in-waiting alongside several other new appointments on Tuesday

Romford MP Andrew Rosindell told the Reform UK event that Havering residents would get a choice to remain Londoners or rejoin Essex

Introduced by an unsupervised Lee Anderson, the byelection candidate was out of his depth immediately

Nigel Farage leads betting odds for next PM, but Reform UK's growing roster of Conservative defectors threatens to undermine the party's 'clean break' message from Westminster politics.

YOUR VIEWS: Our community criticised Reform UK as little more than a refuge for ex-Tories, arguing that defectors prioritise personal ambition over public service and that the party offers few new policies beyond a continuation of Conservative failings

Letters: Madhan Street reflects on the language used to talk about Robert Jenrick’s defection and Dr Anthony Isaacs calls for cooperation to counter a Conservative/Reform alliance

The views of the former Tory vaccines minister clash with those of high-profile members and the party faithful

IN DEPTH : Nigel Farage’s warning that MPs have until May – the date of the English local elections – has prompted fears of more departures, write Kate Devlin and David Maddox

A core function of political parties is to nurture talent and, in some cases, provide a credible path to power for ambitious politicians. In this fraught climate, Reform UK increasingly appears to be an alternative route for those who see no such path via the Conservative party.