Rael Braverman rejoins Reform UK as wife Suella also makes switch

Rael Braverman has rejoined Reform UK after quitting the party last July over concerns about public attacks her wife, Suella.

He announced his decision to return to Nigel Farage’s party this week, just hours after Suella also confirmed she was joining, following her resignation from the Conservative Party.

Rael’s initial involvement with Reform had been significant, as he was one of the most vocal Jewish supporters and had led a group of around two dozen community members in a letter pushing back against criticism that the party is hostile to communal concerns.

But last July, he clashed with Reform’s Zia Yusaf over his public attacks on his wife.

Reform’s ex-chairman blamed Suella for knowing about an alleged cover-up of an Afghan migrant data leak and her record on the issue when in government.

At the same time, Farage also joined the criticism of both Suella and Robert Jenrick, alleging both knew about allowing thousands of Afghans into the country secretly and the imposition of a super injunction.

Rael announced he was leaving the party “effective immediately” over the rift.

But in a renewed turn of support from Reform UK, he has now followed Suella’s lead.

In a social media post, Rael wrote:”I believe Reform UK is the only party that will deliver fundamental change. That’s why I am joining Reform UK.”

Suella’s defection from the Conservatives means Reform UK now has eight MPs.

At a Reform UK event in London this week, Braverman made a surprise appearance and announced her defection from the Conservative Party. “I feel as if I’ve come home,” she told the audience.

In a speech Braverman, took aim at her former colleagues and spoke out against the Conservatives for “making promises with zero intention of keeping them”.

“The party promised to tackle Islamist extremism,” she said. “But as home secretary I told the prime minister that we needed to ban the hate marches, that the Met commissioner was failing the Jewish community and that two-tier policing was damaging public confidence. I warned that someone would be killed. I was blocked and ignored. And then I was sacked for speaking the truth.”

She added:“What happened two years later? Jews were murdered in the streets of Britain because of out of control antisemitism and complacent policing.”