Keir Starmer reacts to Lee Anderson Reform UK move: ‘14 years of failure’

Sir Keir Starmer dismissed calls for a by-election following Lee Anderson’s decision to defect from the Conservative Party to Reform UK.

The Ashfield MP announced his move in a press conference on Friday, 11 March, during which he claimed his mum and dad had told him they would not vote for him unless he switched to Richard Tice’s party.

Mr Anderson has ruled out calling a by-election, telling the BBC it “would be pretty reckless for me to suggest a by-election when we could have a general election in May”.

The Labour leader made a similar statement, telling Sky News: “Forget about Lee Anderson, let’s have a general election.”