The leader of a UK parliamentary group which supports the interests of the Crown Dependencies has defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK.
In a statement issued on X last night, Andrew Rosindell MP said he felt that the Tories were “irreparably bound to the mistakes of previous governments and unwilling to take meaningful accountability for the poor decisions made over so many issues”.
He added that “the views and concerns of constituents such as mine in Romford have been consistently ignored for far too long”.
“Our country has endured a generation of managed decline. Radical action is now required to reverse the damaging decisions of the past and to forge a new course for Britain – one that firmly places the interests of the British people first,” he said.
Mr Rosindell has long taken an interest in the Channel Islands, having chaired the Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories All-Party Parliamentary Group for several years.
This evening, with sorrow, I have decided to resign from my position as an Opposition Shadow Minister and as a member of the Conservative & Unionist Party.
— Andrew Rosindell MP 🇬🇧🏴 (@AndrewRosindell) January 18, 2026
Since joining the Conservative Party at the age of 14, I have been a loyal and committed supporter of the principles… pic.twitter.com/hbOSPRezCw
He previously gave his backing to a campaign to establish MPs for the Crown Dependencies – Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
In 2019, Mr Rosindell said that Jersey was suffering a “democratic deficit”, as it has no official representation in Westminster, despite the UK having responsibility in several areas that affect the Island, such as national defence and Brexit.
He said that the Island would have “nothing to be afraid of” if it had an MP in London, as it could retain its current autonomy. He also proposed that a select committee should be established in the UK Parliament to deal with matters relating to the Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories.
Later, in 2021, he accused the then-French Maritime Minister Annick Girardin and the country’s fishers of “a campaign of bullying and intimidation”, following the blockade of St Helier Harbour, as well as threats to switch off the Island’s electricity supply.
That same year, he put forward an early-day motion backing the creation of a memorial for the Channel Islanders who lived through Nazi occupation, which has received cross-party support.