30p Lee' buys into pound shop Farage'

Former Tory deputy chairman defects.. and others may follow

- JOHN STEVENS

RISHI Sunak has been warned more MPs will follow "30p Lee" Anderson by defecting from the Tories to Reform UK.

The ex-deputy chairman, given his nickname over his claim that families should be able to eat for 30p a day, revealed yesterday he has joined the party founded by Nigel Farage.

The Tories suspended Mr Anderson last month for claiming London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a Muslim, was controlled by Islamists.

They had suggested he would be allowed back in if he apologised, but the MP for Ashfield, Notts, instead jumped ship to become Reform's first representative in Parliament.

The party's multi-millionaire leader, Richard Tice, was described by Mr Anderson as a "pound shop Nigel Farage" in January. But yesterday he said Mr Anderson would be a champion of the Red Wall for Reform UK.

Supporters of Boris Johnson last night launched a fresh bid to oust Prime Minister Mr Sunak over the latest blow to his ailing party.