Lawmaker from Boris Johnson’s Conservative party defects to Liberal Democrats over Brexit
- Sam Gyimah, who has been calling for a re-run of the Brexit referendum, was announced as a new member of the Lib Dems at its annual conference
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered a fresh blow on Saturday after another member of his governing Conservatives defected to an opposition party seeking to reverse Brexit.
Former universities minister Sam Gyimah was announced as a new member of the Liberal Democrats at its annual conference in Bournemouth, on the southern English coast.
Gyimah resigned from former premier Theresa May’s government last year over her strategy to take Britain out of the European Union.
He has since been vocal in calling for a re-run of the 2016 Brexit referendum, and is strongly critical of Johnson’s threat to leave the bloc with no deal with the EU on October 31.
The 43-year-old was once viewed as a rising star in the Conservatives and briefly ran against Johnson for the party leadership in June.
But he said Saturday: “Boris Johnson created a stark choice for moderate, progressive MPs in the Conservative party – to accept a no deal Brexit or walk away from public life.