Full Breakdown
Tory Defections Spark New “One Nation Liberals” Group
By Drooid · · How we work
Background: Shift in the Conservative Party
Since Kemi Badenoch became Conservative Party chair, the party has moved further right, prompting a purge of members who support net-zero climate targets or the European Convention on Human Rights. In July, Badenoch warned that such supporters would be blocked from standing as candidates. The move led to the loss of the whip for former minister Gavin Barwell and the blocking of former cabinet member Grant Shapps.
Key Figures
- Cody Butler – 21-year-old former chair of the One Nation Conservative Network; resigned in July and joined the Liberal Democrats a week later.
- Josh Bancroft – 26-year-old former Tory councillor on Cannock Chase council; left the Conservatives earlier this month to join the Liberal Democrats.
- Ed Davey – Leader of the Liberal Democrats, speaking at the party’s Brighton conference.
Official Statements & Responses
Butler described his switch as “finding a new family,” noting that his politics have not changed but the Conservative Party’s direction has.
He ruled out any future pact with the Conservatives while suggesting that a larger Lib Dem presence would strengthen the party’s negotiating position with Labour. Davey also claimed there is “no ceiling” to the party’s ambitions, emphasizing the potential to win seats wherever multiparty contests occur.
Verbatim Quote
- “The Conservatives have taken leaps to the right and left me and millions of voters behind,” — Josh Bancroft, a former Tory councillor on Cannock Chase council
These defections illustrate a growing trend of centrist former Conservatives seeking a new political home as the Conservative Party’s rightward shift accelerates, while the Liberal Democrats position themselves as the emerging hub for moderate voters.