Tories forced to retract statement on Suella Braverman’s mental health after Reform defection sparks backlash

She becomes the latest in a slew of Conservatives to join Nigel Farage’s party.

Reform UK has accused the Conservatives of ‘gutter politics’ after they referenced Suella Braverman’s mental health when she defected.

Former Conservative Home Secretary Ms Braverman announced earlier today that she was defecting to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, days after Robert Jenrick made the same move.

Appearing at a rally for veterans on Monday, Ms Braverman announced her decision to quit the Tories, declaring: “I feel like I’ve come home.”

“Today I’m announcing that I’m resigning the Conservative whip… I am joining Reform UK,” she said.

But, in a now retracted statement, the Tories made a tasteless reference to her mental health, saying: “It was always a matter of when, not if, Suella would defect. The Conservatives did all we could to look after Suella’s mental health, but she was clearly very unhappy.

“She says she feels that she has ‘come home’, which will come as a surprise to the people who chose not to elect a Reform MP in her constituency in 2024.

“There are some people who are MPs because they care about their communities and want to deliver a better country.

“There are others who do it for their personal ambition. Suella stood for leader of the Conservatives in 2022 and came sixth, behind Kemi and Tom Tugendhat.

“In 2024 she could not even muster enough supporters to get on the ballot. She has now decided to try her luck with Nigel Farage, who said last year he didn’t want her in Reform. They really are doing our ‘spring cleaning’!”

Ms Braverman said the attacks were “pathetic” and were “sorry signs of a bitter and desperate party that is in free fall.”

Addressing a press conference in London set up by Reform to announce her deferral, the former minister said” Those attacks say more about them, than they do about me.”

Mr Farage added that Reform would not “lower ourselves” by reacting to jibes about Braverman’s mental health.

A Reform UK source also told LBC: “It’s gutter politics, a sign of what the Conservative Party has become.”

The Conservatives said the comments about Braverman’s mental health were part of a draft statement that was “sent out in error”.

Their new statement read: “It was always a matter of when, not if, Suella would defect.

“She says she feels that she has ‘come home’, which will come as a surprise to the people who chose not to elect a Reform MP in her constituency in 2024.”

Ms Braverman’s defection had been widely expected following the decision of Robert Jenrick to join Mr Farage’s party.

She becomes Reform’s eighth MP.

The Fareham and Waterlooville MP continued: “Loyalty demands honesty and honesty compels me to say this: today Britain is indeed broken.

“She is suffering. She is not well.

“Immigration is out of control. Our public services are on their knees. People don’t feel safe. Our youngsters are leaving the country for better futures elsewhere.

Suella Braverman has defected to Reform UK. Picture: Getty

Mr Farage said: “We’re a party that accepts talent.”. Picture: Alamy

“We can’t even defend ourselves and our nation stands weak and humiliated on the world stage.

“So we stand at a crossroads. We can either continue down this route of managed decline to weakness and surrender.

“Or we can fix our country, reclaim our power, rediscover our strength. I believe that a better Britain is possible,” she said.

“I resigned the Conservative whip and my party membership, my party membership of 30 years. It’s gone. It’s over today.

“And because I believe, with my heart and soul, that a better future is possible for us, I am joining Reform UK.”

When asked whether accepting more Tories could damage Reform, Mr Farage said: “We’re a party that accepts talent.

“If you get people who we believe are talented, who will put their shoulder to the wheel, who will help us, but are also prepared to admit honestly the failings of the Conservative party in 14 years in government and particularly in the last term… then they’re very welcome.”

The Conservatives said Ms Braverman’s defection to Reform UK was always a matter of “when, not if”.

Robert Jenrick, who defected just last week, gave his new colleague a warm welcome to Reform. Picture: Alamy

Reacting to the announcement, Reform MP Sarah Pochin took to X and said: “Welcome @SuellaBraverman. Great to have another girl on the team!”

Ms Braverman said Mr Farage was the only man in UK politics who has been “courageously consistent” as she took to the stage at a Reform UK event for veterans.

She said that her stance while a minister of calling for leaving the European Convention on Human Rights led to her being “sacked” and “punished” for “telling the truth”.

The Conservative party has said that they “did all [they] could to look after Suella’s mental health, but she was clearly very unhappy”. Picture: Getty

She called the Conservatives’ current promise to leave the ECHR “a lie”.

“I’m calling time. I’m calling time on Tory betrayal. I’m calling time on Tory lies. I’m calling time on a party that keeps making promises with zero intention of keeping them.”

Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley said: “Nigel Farage is stuffing his party full of the failed Tories responsible for the chaos and decline that held Britain back for 14 years.

“Suella Braverman helped botch Brexit and got sacked as home secretary – her defection shows Farage is willing to accept the very worst of the Conservative Party and exposes his complete lack of judgment.

“While Reform’s band of failed Tories focus on their careers, Keir Starmer’s Labour Government is focused on cutting the cost of living and fixing our NHS.”

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper was also critical, saying: “Farage has recruited yet another Conservative minister with selective amnesia – one who complains about broken Britain while conveniently forgetting they helped break it.

“Suella Braverman was so bad she was forced to resign from Liz Truss’ cabinet and got sacked by Rishi Sunak.

“With Kemi Badenoch promising to pull the Conservatives further to the right to chase after Nigel Farage, only the Liberal Democrats are standing up for the silent majority who believe in a decent, caring country.”

By Asher McShane@ashermcs