A Reform UK councillor has defected to the Conservatives, saying he became uncomfortable in Nigel Farage’s party.
James Buchan, who sits in the borough of Dartford in Kent, said he had struggled with the idea of facing his relatives while a member of a party whose anti-immigration policies spread fear.
“I stood for election with the sole aim of working for my community and getting things done for local families. Having had the opportunity to see Reform from the inside, I’ve concluded that the party doesn’t really have the experience or ambition to do that,” he said.
Buchan said he wanted to be able to “look my family in the eye and say, ‘that’s not who I am’” after Nigel Farage’s party announced plans to end indefinite leave to remain status.
He said “relying on rhetoric and slogans isn’t going to help real families in communities” such as his and “the more I saw of Reform UK, the more uncomfortable I felt to be part of it”.
“Things like a proposal to remove indefinite leave to remain from all non-EU residents who are working here perfectly legally is an example that could be devastating for decent people who have built a life here and contribute to our country,” he said.
Reform announced earlier this year that it would scrap indefinite leave to remain and replace it with visas that would require people to reapply to live in the UK as part of plans to tighten immigration.
The councillor, who won his seat for Reform in a July byelection, said the policy created a “huge amount of fear and anxiety” and accused the party of having “a pretty unfortunate way of treating people”.
A Reform source said: “He got elected in July 2025 as a Reform councillor. He should resign his seat but he won’t because he knows he will lose under the Tory banner. We look forward to winning this seat back as soon as possible.”
Dartford’s Conservative council leader, Jeremy Kite, confirmed the move on Friday and welcomed Buchan, who represents the Stone House ward, to the party.
“James knows that getting elected isn’t about power, it’s about service and being supportive of people,” he said.
The Reform leader, Nigel Farage, has been under pressure in recent weeks after he chose to defend one of his MPs who made racist remarks, and the former leader of Reform UK in Wales pleaded guilty to bribery charges relating to statements in favour of Russia in the European parliament.
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This article was amended on 1 November 2025. Dartford borough is in Kent, not in south-east London.
