A Tory grandee has refused to rule out defecting to Reform UK as the clock ticks on Nigel Farage’s May 7 deadline.

Lord Frost, who was appointed to the House of Lords after serving as Boris Johnson’s Brexit negotiator, shared a mischief-making image of him and Reform UK MP Suella Braverman holding teal coloured scoops of ice cream following her defection earlier this week.

“It was great to campaign with Suella back at the 2024 General Election,” Lord Frost said.

“We’ve always seen things the same way.”

When asked about the photo by Guido Fawkes, Lord Frost added: “What I have always tried to signal, and I guess that photo is part of it, is there are things I believe in.

“Whatever I am doing, whether it’s in Government or this, there are certain things and principles I am going to stick to and I think that’s a bit what Suella over the years as well, and that was what I was trying to signal.”

However, Lord Frost resigned the Tory whip in the upper chamber after being named as director-general at the Thatcherite Institute of Economic Affairs.

The 60-year-old former civil servant has repeatedly refused to rule out switching to Reform UK, last year revealing he is “not emotionally committed” to the Tories.

When asked about his potential switch in affiliation against, Lord Frost told Guido Fawkes: “I never rule anything out for the future, but I’m here with the IEA and I’m here to do a job, as I say, for the time being.

“I’m in it for ideas and I guess one of the problems at the moment is neither the Tories or Reform have a really well worked-out economic strategy.

“There’s a lot of attributing ideas to both parties that they haven’t necessarily made part of their politics mix. That’s really what the task is.”

However, Lord Frost made clear both parties need to put forward a plan to create a smaller tax, reduce taxes and ramp up deregulation.

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Reform UK secured its first defection in the upper chamber last month, albeit temporarily.

Malcolm Offord, then-Lord Offord, was unveiled as a major defector before being named as Reform UK’s leader in Scotland.

Mr Farage also bolstered Reform’s ranks in the House of Commons following a series of defections from sitting Tory MPs, including Danny Kruger, Robert Jenrick, Andrew Rosindell and Suella Braverman.

However, the Clacton MP is keen to stick to his May 7 deadline, warning the 2026 Local Elections will prove disastrous for the Tory Party.

Reform UK has also secured almost two dozen defections from former Tory MPs.

Hundreds of councillors have also switched support at a local level.

Mr Farage is now hoping to unveil a Labour defector amid accusations Reform UK is becoming the “Tory Party 2.0”.

Despite suggesting the defection would come earlier this month, Mr Farage remains convinced the Labour figure will cross the floor.

However, Kemi Badenoch has dismissed fears of a defection deluge ahead of May 7.

She said: “To those who are defecting, who don’t actually disagree with our policies, I will say I’m sorry you didn’t win the leadership contest.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get a job in the Shadow Cabinet.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get into the Lords, but you are not offering a plan to fix this country. This is a tantrum dressed up as politics.”