Sam Gyimah has become the latest MP to defect to the Liberal Democrats, becoming the 18th Liberal Democrat MP and the third MP elected under Conservative colours in 2017 to join the party, in a major boost to the party and its leader, Jo Swinson, at the close of the party’s first full day.
The defection of Gyimah, who served as David Cameron’s parliamentary private secretary and was tipped to hold high office, is a particular coup as the party eyes a target seat list that is rich in Conservative-held seats. The party’s successes so far have been underpinned primarily through the capture of Labour votes. The party’s strategists still believe they can get more votes out of the Labour party, which is part of why they have unveiled their latest defector in the Observer, but they also know that if they want to crack 25 per cent, they need to win over more Conservative Remainers.
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