Lee Anderson: Former Conservative deputy chair defects to Reform UK
Former Conservative deputy chair Lee Anderson has defected to Reform UK, becoming the party’s first MP in the Commons.
Mr Anderson, who took the seat of Ashfield in 2019, was kicked out of the parliamentary Conservative Party for refusing to apologise after alleging that London mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by “Islamists”.
And while some of his colleagues had called for his reinstatement, others accused him of Islamophobia.
Making the announcement of his defection at an event in central London, Mr Anderson told journalists he had done “a lot of soul searching” on his “political journey”, but concluded: “Somebody has to make a stand.”
Politics live: ‘I want my country back,’ declares Anderson
“It is no secret that I’ve been talking to my friends in Reform for a while,” added the MP. “And Reform UK has offered me the chance to speak out in parliament on behalf of millions of people up and down the country who feel that they’re not being listened to.
“People will say that I’ve took a gamble. And I’m prepared to gamble on myself, as I know from my mailbag how many people in this country support Reform UK and what they have to say.
“And like millions of people up and down the country, all I want is my country back.”
Asked by Sky News’ political editor, Beth Rigby, what his message would be to his former Tory colleagues who feared the defection could damage their chances at the next election, he said: “Country, constituency, then party.”
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Mr Anderson was welcomed to Reform UK by its leader, Richard Tice, who said his first MP would be a “champion of the red wall”, who would “tell it as it is, with no nonsense, no waffle”.
Refuting claims his own views were controversial, Mr Anderson added: “They are opinions which are shared by millions of people up and down the country.
“It’s not controversial to be concerned about illegal immigration. It’s not controversial to be concerned about legal migration.
“It’s not controversial to be, you know, worried, concerned about the Metropolitan Police and the failing London mayor and the hate marchers, the street crime and the shoplifters literally getting away with ruining businesses on a daily basis.
“It’s not controversial to fight back in a culture war, a culture war that is sweeping our nation.”
Defecting to another party does not trigger a by-election automatically, but an MP can choose to hold one – as both Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless did when they left the Tories to join UKIP.
However, Mr Anderson said he would not call a vote, claiming it would be “pretty reckless” so close to a general election and would “cost a fortune”.
A Conservative Party spokesperson said they “regret” the decision taken by Mr Anderson, adding: “Voting for Reform can’t deliver anything apart from a Keir Starmer-led Labour government that would take us back to square one – which means higher taxes, higher energy costs, no action on channel crossings, and uncontrolled immigration.”
But while one of the right wing factions within the Tories, the New Conservatives, released their own statement agreeing with that sentiment, they placed the blame of the MP’s exit at the door of their own party.
“We have failed to hold together the coalition of voters who gave us an 80 seat majority in 2019,” it said. “Those voters – in our traditional heartlands and in the Red Wall seats like Ashfield – backed us because we offered an optimistic, patriotic, no-nonsense Conservatism.
“They voted for lower immigration, for a better NHS, for a rebalanced economy, and for pride in our country.
“Our poll numbers show what the public think of our record since 2019. We cannot pretend any longer that ‘the plan is working’. We need to change course urgently.”
Listen to Beth Rigby, Jess Phillips and Ruth Davidson as they unravel the spin in a new weekly podcast from Sky News
Labour MP and national campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden accused the Conservatives of “falling apart”, adding: “What does it say about Rishi Sunak’s judgement that he promoted Lee Anderson in the first place?
“The truth is that the prime minister is too weak to lead a party too extreme to be led, and if the Tories got another five years it would all just get worse.”
The Liberal Democrats also said Mr Anderson’s defection left Mr Sunak’s authority in “tatters”, with deputy leader Daisy Cooper adding: “This is a prime minister that cannot govern his own party let alone the country.
“Even now Sunak is too weak to rule out Nigel Farage joining the Conservative Party. It just shows that there is now hardly a cigarette paper between the Conservative Party and Reform.”
Mr Anderson began his political career in the Labour Party as a councillor and member of staff for Ashfield’s then MP Gloria De Piero.
But after being suspended by the local organisation, he chose to join the Conservatives and became their candidate for the 2019 election, winning the seat with a majority more than 5,000.
The MP became a controversial voice on the backbenches with his views on immigration and the so-called culture wars, but gained a lot of support from the right of his party and was made deputy chair by Rishi Sunak.
However, he stood down from the role in January to vote against the government’s Rwanda deportation plan, which he believed needed toughening up.
Mr Anderson’s latest defection will come as a blow to Mr Sunak, and a boost to Reform UK – which is currently polling above the Liberal Democrats.
Kemi Badenoch has said the Tories are “not doing a deal with Reform” after a Conservative mayor appeared to advocate for a “coming together” of the two rival parties.
The leader of the opposition criticised talk of “stitch ups” ahead of next week’s local elections and said she was instead focused on ensuring that voters have a “credible Conservative offer”.
Speaking to reporters from Stratford-upon-Avon, she said: “We are not doing a deal with Reform. There’s not going to be a pact.
“What we need to do right now is focus on ensuring that voters have a credible Conservative offer.
“When we start talking about stitch ups before an election it sounds as if we are not thinking about the people out there but just about how we win.
“Winning is just the first step – we need to talk about how we are going to deliver for the people of this country.”
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PM questions Badenoch on Jenrick audio at PMQs
Her words come after Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen suggested his party may have to join forces with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
In an interview with Politico, he said: “I don’t know what it looks like. I don’t know whether it’s a pact. I don’t know whether it’s a merger … [or] a pact of trust and confidence or whatever.
“But if we want to make sure that there is a sensible centre-right party leading this country, then there is going to have to be a coming together of Reform and the Conservative Party in some way.”
He added: “What that looks like is slightly above my pay grade at the moment.”
The intervention from the Conservatives’ last remaining mayor will create further trouble for Ms Badenoch after shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick vowed to “bring this coalition together” to ensure that Conservatives and Reform UK are no longer competing for votes by the time of the next election.
According to a leaked recording obtained by Sky News, Mr Jenrick – who lost the Tory leadership campaign to Ms Badenoch – said he would try “one way or another” to make sure the two right-wing parties do not end up handing a second term to Sir Keir Starmer.
Mr Jenrick has denied his words amounted to calling for a pact with Reform – and told Good Morning Britain: “I’ve said time and again that I want to put Reform out of business … I want to send Nigel Farage back to retirement.”
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Farage: Jenrick ‘shaping up’ to be Tory leader
Questioned about Mr Jenrick’s remarks, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told Sky News he was not going to do a deal with the Conservative Party.
He said: “I mean he’s clearly shaping himself up to be the next leader of the Conservative Party. He doesn’t care what internal division he causes within the Parliamentary Party.
“But he’s actually mistaken. We are not going to do a deal with a Conservative Party that gave us record tax levels since the war, mass migration, I mean I could go on.”
Opinion by: Daniel Ahmed, co-founder of Fasset and founding member of the Own Foundation
Crypto was born from a vision to decentralize power, democratize finance and build systems where equity prevails over exploitation. Somewhere along the way, however, the movement lost its moral compass. As speculation surged, purpose dwindled.
We must return crypto to its decentralized roots, a technological revolution built on long-term value, inclusivity and ethics rather than cyclical, speculative gains. The industry should take inspiration from emerging regions and how ethical financial investing can help to repair some of the ways our industry has often fallen short.
The rise of layer 2
When Vitalik wrote a blog post on layer 2s as a cultural extension of Ethereum, he brought up a critical point not only in business and technology but humanity — what we build in this life should be more significant than ourselves. Citing blockchains, he described how layer 2s, which he framed as subcultures of Ethereum, don’t merely differ in their technical benefits but how their positioning and intricacies trickle down into the culture of their communities.
In a space where new layer 2s are emerging rapidly, Vitalik’s insights are accurate and inspiring. When we build in a vacuum of echo chambers and monocultures, we miss out on the actual value of community in Web3.
What really brings communities together? Too often in crypto, that answer has been making people rich. What it should be is shared ideals that solve real issues. If done with purpose and conviction, this can still make people money.
While the rapid rise of layer 2 and layer 3 solutions promises scalability and efficiency, they are too often motivated by speculative gains rather than lasting value creation. If there’s any doubt, the numbers speak for themselves.
Layer-2 fatigue aside, the sheer scope of this data raises the question: Is our industry innovating just because it can, or is it creating a real-world utility that improves the lives of fellow humans? There’s nothing wrong with building something to make money, but if that’s the only reason we’re building something, that’s a problem.
Recent: Islamic finance and Web3 take stage at Istanbul Blockchain Week
We need to shift the narrative and look at how Web3 is solving actual, fundamental issues in emerging markets — particularly in regions like the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa — as a north star for how to ethically build the future of our space.
What does innovation indeed mean?
If crypto projects think innovation in Web3 is only about VC-led fundraising rounds, comparing transactions per second, or building the next great decentralized application to trade cat coins, they have probably never existed in a place where even the simplest of financial transactions is cumbersome.
In emerging markets, where people grapple with inflation, high remittance fees and limited access to financial services, we’ve witnessed how meaningful effects can transform the daily lives of millions. These are not abstract issues. They affect business owners, families, students, creators and more.
From stablecoins to secure and user-friendly payment applications, Web3 offers a unique opportunity to address these problems by creating decentralized financial systems that bypass the inefficiencies and inequities of traditional banking. For Web3 to truly make a difference in these regions, it must be designed with a focus on ethics, accessibility and long-term utility. We must lead by example.
In these markets, if innovation doesn’t create a meaningful disruption that improves people’s lives and addresses real-world problems, it’s nothing more than a buzzword. The most powerful solutions in technology are those that solve the world’s greatest problems.
Ethical finance — Web3’s future?
If you want inspiration, pay attention to those doing something different. If you want to inspire others, lead by example.
Ethical finance, particularly Islamic finance, offers valuable lessons for Web3. Dating back to the 1960s and 70s in the Middle East and North Africa (and even further to around 620 AD), this sector is built on risk-sharing, ethical investment and a focus on tangible assets.
Islamic finance has endured for centuries because it rejects speculation in favor of real, meaningful value. For example, we’ve seen the rise of ethical finance institutions like Al Rajhi Bank, one of the most prominent Islamic banks globally, known for its investments in tangible assets and community-oriented financial products.
This model, which strives to build based on morals, substance and necessity versus mere financial opportunity, can guide Web3 as it moves beyond hype-driven growth.
Build by example
As we look toward the next few years with the wind and a bull market beneath our wings, the time has come for Web3 to take a hard look in the mirror and redefine what success and innovation genuinely look like. The answer to this won’t be the same for everyone — that would be pretty boring if it were.
We must find a common ground of shared values that extends beyond technical achievements, market capitalization, total value locked or X followers but strives to innovate something more significant than any layer 2 or token.
When gearing up to launch something new, our industry must ask itself something that lives at the heart of Islamic finance: How will this product improve people’s lives? Is it true to the ethos of creating decentralized systems that are transparent, fair and built for the benefit of all?
If we can’t answer that, perhaps we should step back and ask why. Then, get back to work.
Opinion by: Daniel Ahmed, co-founder of Fasset and founding member of the Own Foundation.
This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
An official of the Swiss National Bank dismissed calls for the institution to add Bitcoin to its reserves as a hedge against the ongoing macroeconomic turmoil.
According to an April 25 Reuters report, Swiss National Bank Chairman Martin Schlegel said that “cryptocurrency cannot currently fulfil the requirements for our currency reserves” during a shareholder meeting in Bern earlier today. The comments come amid mounting pressure from the local crypto industry to add Bitcoin (BTC) to the central bank’s reserves.
Campaigner Luzius Meisser, a board member of cryptocurrency broker Bitcoin Suisse, told Reuters that “holding bitcoin makes more sense as the world shifts towards a multipolar order.” He claimed that the need is even more dire now that “the dollar and the euro are weakening.”
This is not the first time Schlegel has pushed back against the idea. Reports from early March quoted Schlegel saying that he doesn’t want to make Bitcoin a reserve asset in Switzerland, citing a lack of stability, liquidity concerns and security risks.
Related: Swiss canton of Bern votes to study Bitcoin mining feasibility
Switzerland’s campaign for a Bitcoin reserve
On the last day of 2024, the Swiss Federal Chancellery initiated a proposal to constitutionally mandate the Swiss National Bank to hold Bitcoin on its balance sheet. The proposal needs to gather 100,000 signatures to trigger a referendum in Switzerland.
The initiative requests to change the third paragraph of Article 99 of the constitution. The relevant text currently states:
“The Swiss National Bank shall create sufficient currency reserves from its revenues; part of these reserves shall be held in gold.”
If successful, the campaign would result in adding “and in Bitcoin.” to the end of the paragraph. The initiative saw the participation of the Swiss Bitcoin nonprofit think tank 2B4CH, which was responsible for preparing and submitting the documents. 2B4CH had some ties to industry heavyweights, with Giw Zanganeh, vice president of energy and mining at leading stablecoin issuer Tether, helping launch the campaign.
Related: Crypto bank Sygnum hits unicorn status with new $58M raise
The campaign is still ongoing
Meisser claims that holding Bitcoin would free the central bank from the political influence of its foreign currency holdings, most of which are in US dollars and euros. According to him, “politicians eventually give in to the temptation of printing money to fund their plans, but bitcoin is a currency that cannot be inflated through deficit spending.” 2B4CH founder and chairman Yves Bennaïm told Reuters:
“We are not saying — go all in with bitcoin, but if you have nearly 1 trillion francs in reserves, like the SNB does, then it makes sense to have 1–2% of that in an asset that is increasing in value, becoming more secure, and that everyone wants to own.”
Switzerland is a hub for blockchain enterprises, with its “Crypto Valley” in the town of Zug being the location where Ethereum was founded. The nation continues to generate crypto initiatives, with global grocery giant Spar rolling out Bitcoin-based payments in a Swiss city earlier this month.
The crypto Valley surpassed the $593 billion valuation mark, showcasing the growth trajectory of the region’s blockchain industry in 2024. Last year, the area saw the emergence of 17 crypto startup unicorns.
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