Zahawi, the former Conservative minister for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, announced a switch to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in late December after reports of an attempted peerage proposal from within his former party were denied. Citing a lack of response to his request for a Lords nomination, the party source confirmed no offer was made by the Conservative leadership before Zahawi’s decision to defect. The claim was substantiated by a brief exchange reported between Zahawi and Kemi Badenoch, the party’s Secretary of State for Levelling Up, which was interpreted as an opening for a peerage.

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The defection followed the release of a letter in which Zahawi clarified his intention to support Reform UK’s agenda on fiscal restraint and immigration policy. Unlike the orchestrated negotiations that usually precede peerage appointments, no formal nomination was recorded, and the Conservative Group Disciplinary Committee did not issue any statement to that effect. Consequently, Zahawi’s dismissal from the Conservative caucus was treated as a voluntary departure, with no reference to disciplinary action.

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Zahawi’s move marks the first time a recent Conservative MP has been publicly involved in a secondary party switch after a denied peerage bid. It signals a potential weakening of the Conservative Party’s persuasive power over former MPs and may encourage further service‑based defections. For Reform UK, the addition of a former minister could enhance its lobbying capabilities, though the party’s prospective influence remains to be weighed against its limited parliamentary representation. Overall, the situation underscores the delicate balance of political loyalty and career advancement within the UK’s contemporary political landscape.