Marlborough locals have delivered their verdict on the news that their MP, Danny Kruger, has defected to Reform UK.

The defection marks a historic moment as Mr Kruger becomes the first serving Conservative MP to join Nigel Farage’s party.

The East Wiltshire MP revealed his switch to Reform UK during a Monday afternoon press conference, where he declared that the Conservatives are “over”.

Speaking to GB News, one person from Marlborough said: “This is a bad state of affairs. We should have a by-election because I didn’t vote for him to not be in the Conservative Party.”

Another person said: “This is all in the offing really, a lot of Tory MPs are heading that way, so it was just a matter of time before another one went.”

A third said that he is a good MP and she will still support him after he changes parties.

However, a second person called for a by-election. She told GB News: “I think that there should be a by-election. I didn’t vote for Reform.”

A final person hailed it “fantastic news” and said: “This is what he wants to do, and he is a man of the people.

“He knows what he should be doing to help us all. He is very active in the community, with the traffic situation and he has our best interest at heart.”

The MP, who is the son of television personality Prue Leith and received his education at Eton, previously held the position of political secretary to the prime minister during Boris Johnson’s final period in office.

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His move increases Reform UK’s parliamentary presence back up to five MPs.

Mr Kruger characterised his departure as “personally painful” whilst delivering a scathing assessment of his former party’s condition.

The MP criticised what he described as twelve months of inaction and artificial harmony within the party.

“We have had a year of stasis and drift and the sham unity that comes from not doing anything bold or difficult or controversial and the result is in the polls,” he stated.

He predicted further departures would follow, adding: “And those voters aren’t coming back, and every day, more and more people are joining them in deserting the party that has failed.”

Mr Kruger outlined his new mission, saying: “Our mission is not just to overthrow the current system, it is to restore the system we need.”