Suella Braverman, the former Home Secretary, tried but failed to become the Conservative Party leader in 2022. She also thought about running again in 2024.
Now, her husband, Rael Braverman, has reportedly given her a deadline to switch to Reform UK, as rumors grow about whether she will leave the Conservative Party to join the populist group.
Rael, who joined Reform UK last year, recently suggested a time limit for Conservative politicians to switch parties. His comments come after several high-profile Tories joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
### Husband Sets Deadline for Suella Braverman to Join Reform UK
Rael Braverman responded to a post from ex-UKIP donor Arron Banks, who suggested setting a deadline for Conservative politicians who want to defect. Rael agreed, saying, “I would make it three months from now and then close the door.”
Banks had earlier said Reform UK should stop accepting defectors after a certain point, adding, “The rest can go down with the ship.”
Rael Braverman’s comments come just weeks after Suella Braverman refused to rule out joining Reform UK. She told *The Telegraph* that while she sees “a lot of common ground” between the two parties, she has always been a Conservative and wants a Conservative government.
However, her husband believes that continuing to support the Conservatives might actually help the Labour Party stay in power. He pointed out that if Reform UK polls at 26% and the Conservatives at 24%, it could lead to another five years of Labour rule.
Suella Braverman responded to her husband’s political shift by saying, “My husband and I respect each other’s independence—he doesn’t tell me how to do my job, and I don’t tell him which party to support.”
Meanwhile, Rael Braverman seems to believe that backing Conservative leadership hopeful Kemi Badenoch is a “wasted vote.” On social media, he wrote, “You know it is,” adding that the Conservatives are “finished, no matter who leads them.”
### Reform UK Gains Support as More Conservatives Defect
Suella Braverman has previously criticized the Conservative Party’s decision to expel Lee Anderson, who later joined Reform UK and won his Ashfield seat in the 2024 election.
Despite her comments about common ground, Reform UK has repeatedly dismissed the idea of merging with the Conservatives. Party chairman Zia Yusuf compared such a move to Netflix merging with Blockbuster—implying it wouldn’t work.
A recent poll by Find Out Now gave Reform UK a four-point lead over Labour, suggesting Nigel Farage is gaining more support. The survey found that 29% of voters would back Reform UK, while Labour had 25% and the Conservatives just 18%.
If these numbers hold, Reform UK could win Suella Braverman’s seat in Fareham & Waterlooville by a narrow margin, despite her winning it with a strong majority in the 2024 election.
A Reform UK insider said, “We’re not taking just anyone—some people simply don’t fit.” Reports suggest the party has already turned down around 30% of Conservative defectors at the council level.
