Danny Kruger has told GB News that he feels “personally conflicted” following his defection to Reform UK.

Following his public announcement at a press conference, the former Conservative MP told GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope that the move has been a “bold gamble”.

During his announcement to the nation, Mr Kruger declared that the “Conservative Party is over”, stating he is “very pleased” to be joining Nigel Farage’s party.

Reacting to the news, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch told the People’s Channel that if “people are leaving because of policy disagreements, that means that the message I am putting out there is clear”.

Discussing his defection, Mr Kruger told Christopher: “Personally, I’m feeling pretty conflicted. I’ve left behind a lot of very good friends locally in my associations, some wonderful people who’ve supported me as a Conservative candidate and an activist.

“And nationally, I’ve got very good friends, I respect and admire Kemi Badenoch personally. I love my former Chief Whip, and I’ve got very many good friends in Parliament who will be very dismayed by what I’ve done.”

Admitting however that it was the “right thing to do”, he added: “So on a personal level, it’s really difficult, but I think it’s the right thing to do.

“Because I don’t think the Conservative Party can deliver conservatism, and I don’t think they can deliver for the public.”

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Expressing optimism for Reform’s success in local elections, Mr Kruger told GB News: “They’ve just won a whole bunch of council seats from the Conservatives, and I look forward to meeting meeting them. But it’s a very, very tough challenge.

“We’ve got to organise sufficiently to take on the next set of local elections and then get ready for the big general election in a couple of years time.”

Mr Kruger was quizzed on his previous remarks about Reform, where he claimed the party would “spend like a drunken sailor” if they win Government.

Backtracking on his comments, Mr Kruger stated: “What my concern was, was that they seem to want to spend more or at least not reduce the welfare bill.

“But we’ve heard from Nigel Farage at his party conference a couple of weeks ago, they recognised that the welfare bill is unsustainable, and they are committed to bringing about reductions in order to achieve some kind of fiscal continence, which is what is so vital, so I’m glad to say no longer drunken sailors.”

Telling GB News of his determination to do the “exact job he was elected to do” as Tory, Mr Kruger highlighted the “personal gamble” he has taken in moving to Reform.

Mr Kruger concluded: “I’m going to continue to do the exact job that I was elected to do and that I’ve done since the last election, which is to oppose the Labour Government, to stand up for conservative principles, to support and represent my constituents as best I can as the local MP. So nothing is actually changing on the ground for me.

“People knew what they were getting when they voted for me, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.

“This was quite a recent conversation that started between me and Nigel, when I’ve come to recognise in quite a recent period that there just isn’t any hope for the Conservatives.”

He added: “If I was simply concerned with my own safety, I’d be staying in East Wiltshire, which is one of the safest Conservative seats there is.

“It’s not a target for Reform, so actually, I’m taking quite a bold, personal gamble here. I’m not expecting to have an easy ride of it, but I just think it’s the right thing to do.”