The Liberal Democrats have been boosted on the first day of their party conference by the defection of former Conservative MP Sam Gyimah, taking the pro-EU party’s tally in the Commons to 18 MPs.
Mr Gyimah was one of the 21 Tory rebels who defied Boris Johnson this month by voting for legislation to stop a no deal Brexit. He was stripped of the Tory whip and on Saturday joined the Lib Dems.
The Lib Dems, who are campaigning to revoke the Article 50 Brexit process without recourse to a second referendum, have seen six MPs join their ranks from Tory and Labour in recent months.
Mr Gyimah, a former universities minister, was increasingly out of place in Mr Johnson’s Conservative party, with local activists in his East Surrey seat seeking to deselect him.
He joins Sarah Wollaston and Phillip Lee in the list of Europhile former Tory MPs who have joined the resurgent Lib Dems. Chuka Umunna, Angela Smith and Luciana Berger have joined from Labour.
Mr Gyimah was introduced to the Lib Dems on the opening day of their conference in Bournemouth on Saturday. The party made big gains in local and European elections and are currently polling at just under 20 per cent
Jo Swinson, the party leader, claims the Lib Dems can win the general election, expected within weeks, although a more realistic target for the party is to make inroads into Tory seats in Remain areas.
In an interview with the Observer, Mr Gyimah said he was “an outcast in the Conservative party”, adding: “But that’s Brexit. It has divided families. The country is divided. This is a huge faultline.”
He said: “I’ve been involved in the Conservative party for two decades. I’ve fought for the party. I have an unusual background — I’m not your typical Tory recruit.”
