Dame Andrea Jenkyns: Ousted Leeds MP and former Conservative joins Reform UK after losing Morley seat

Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who represented Morley and Outwood for nine years, was announced by Nigel Farage as the party’s candidate for the Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire at a press conference earlier today (November 28).

She told an audience that she had “joined the party of the brave”, which will be “ready to challenge the tired two party system”.

Mr Farage, who revealed that Reform UK has hit 100,000 members, said: “By sheer coincidence, the 100,000th member happens to be a former Conservative member of Parliament. Who would believe that? Her name is Andrea Jenkyns.

“And not only is Andrea joining the party, but after an internal selection process, she has now been selected as our candidate and she will run to be the newly created Mayor of Lincolnshire on May 1 next year, and I believe she has every chance of winning.”

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Joining him on the stage, Dame Andrea said: “Today, I have joined the party of the brave. Our once great country is at a crisis point.”

She criticised Labour’s policies, insisting that Reform UK would be a party that “champions truth, that stands up for the underdog, and that listens to the people”.

Dame Andrea added: “We will be ready to challenge the tired two party system and we will deliver the fresh start this country so desperately needs.”

In an interview with the YEP in March, Mrs Jenkyns was asked whether she would defect from the Tory party, having been critical of former leader Rishi Sunak. She said: “For me, party leaders come and go but, ultimately, I am a Conservative.

“I can’t see it [defection], to be honest.”

In her speech earlier today, she addressed her loyalty as a Tory: “Leaving the Conservative Party, a party I have cherished for decades, was not an easy decision. I have long believed in Conservatism and the principles that it should stand for. I stayed loyal. I fought to the bitter end in the general election, going down with the proverbial ship.”

Dame Andrea lost her Morley seat at the General Election in July, as Labour rival and ex-teacher Mark Sewards secured almost double the number of votes.