Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg’s 16-year-old daughter has revealed she quit the Conservative Party to join Reform UK after meeting Nigel Farage during work experience, describing him as a “leader” whilst dismissing the entire Tory leadership as lacking direction.
Mary Rees-Mogg, an A-level student who first joined the Conservatives aged five, made the revelation as she accompanied her father to a packed fringe event at Reform UK’s conference at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre on Friday. The former Business Secretary was mobbed by hundreds of adoring Reform supporters at the Nelson Theatre, where he addressed the conference alongside historian David Starkey about lessons Farage could learn from President Donald Trump.
Opening the event, Sir Jacob admitted his daughter had joined Reform UK and has been “twisting his arm” about becoming yet another high-profile Tory defector to Farage’s party. The admission comes as Reform celebrates surging membership from 80,000 to nearly 240,000 in just twelve months, with the party now polling at 30 per cent nationally.
Daughter Reveals Moment That Triggered Defection
Speaking exclusively to GB News after the event, Mary Rees-Mogg revealed the precise moment that led her to abandon her lifelong Conservative allegiance. “Reform has all the momentum. I was very loyal to the Tories, but I met Nigel while doing work experience, and he had so much energy, so much passion, and I thought, this is a leader,” the teenager explained.
She delivered a damning verdict on the Conservative Party’s current state: “And then I looked at the Conservatives, and who in the Conservative Party is a leader, and I had no answers. I just couldn’t find any.”
Mary, who described Farage as the “people’s choice”, also shed light on her ongoing campaign to convert her father. “I would love it if he joined Reform, that would be absolutely fantastic,” she said, before acknowledging the challenge: “But I do see what he’s on about with ‘Uniting the Right’ and he’s been a Tory for years, and years, and years. He’s also got a loyalty there for all those who have campaigned for you when it’s cold, and wet, and windy.”
Sir Jacob Rules Out Defection Despite Warm Reception
Despite receiving a hero’s welcome from Reform members, with crowds spilling out beyond the allocated viewing area, Sir Jacob appeared to rule out following his daughter’s lead. “Mary has joined Reform…but I’m not going to,” he told the packed auditorium. “I’m going to remain a Tory because I think it is fundamental that we bring the family of the right together.”
The former North East Somerset MP, who lost his seat in July’s general election, has long been identified as a potential defector. He was first linked with a possible switch to UKIP when Farage was leader in 2014, and has repeatedly called for Conservative-Reform cooperation since his electoral defeat.
Speaking at the event, he argued that the “family of the right” needed to unite in Britain’s first-past-the-post electoral system to win a majority, echoing calls he has made for a formal electoral pact between the two parties.
Political Division Runs in the Family
This is not the first time the Rees-Mogg family has been politically divided. Sir Jacob’s sister, Annunziata Rees-Mogg, quit the Conservatives to stand for the Brexit Party in the 2019 EU Parliament elections, serving as an MEP for seven months before dramatically defecting back to the Tories just one week before the 2019 general election.
The former Business Secretary has previously taken his children campaigning for the Conservative Party, including his son Peter, who joined him canvassing ahead of UKIP’s victory in Rochester & Strood in 2014. The family’s political activities have featured prominently in their recent reality television series “Meet the Rees-Moggs”, broadcast on Discovery.
High-Profile Tories Flock to Reform Conference
Sir Jacob’s appearance at the Reform conference alongside other prominent Conservative figures signals the gravitational pull Farage’s party now exerts on the right of British politics. Former Chancellor Michael Gove, now editor of The Spectator, also attended to interview Reform’s efficiency chief Zia Yusuf.
The presence of such heavyweight Tory figures at Reform’s conference represents a remarkable shift from just a year ago, when the party was still considered a fringe movement. Lord Ashcroft, the billionaire former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party and major Tory donor, was spotted in deep conversation with Farage ally Andy Wigmore at the conference’s exclusive Heathrow Lounge.
Sir Jacob’s closest political allies from his time as a Conservative MP have been among the main switchers to Reform UK. Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries announced her defection earlier this week, whilst former Conservative Party chairman Sir Jake Berry was spotted purchasing Reform merchandise at the conference, forking out £25 for a turquoise and white scarf from the party shop.
Farage Capitalises on Government Chaos
The timing of the Rees-Mogg revelation could not have been more fortuitous for Reform UK, coming as Nigel Farage delivered what supporters described as a “Prime Minister-in-waiting” speech to 6,000 members. The Reform leader brought his keynote address forward by three hours to capitalise on the chaos engulfing Sir Keir Starmer’s government following Angela Rayner’s resignation as Deputy Prime Minister.
“The reason I have moved this speaking time forward is because this Government is deep in crisis,” Farage told the rapturous crowd. “Not only have they fallen into deep unpopularity in just a year of winning the general election but it’s become clear to all of us that it is a Cabinet full of wholly unqualified people to run our country.”
The Reform leader promised his party would stop illegal Channel crossings “within two weeks of winning government” and warned of an imminent split in the Labour Party over the deputy leadership race triggered by Rayner’s departure.
Climate Protesters Ejected as Conference Energy Builds
The conference atmosphere was briefly disrupted when Climate Resistance protesters attempted to interrupt Farage’s speech, only to be drowned out by audience chants of “boring” and “out, out, out” before being removed by security. The incident barely dented the enthusiasm of members celebrating what they see as Reform’s unstoppable momentum.
Sam Simons, spokesperson for Climate Resistance, accused Farage of being funded by “oil barons and billionaire property tycoons”, claims the Reform leader dismissed as he continued his address to thunderous applause.
Corporate Interest Signals Mainstream Acceptance
The conference has attracted unprecedented corporate interest, with Heathrow sponsoring a lounge and housebuilder Thakeham, which has previously donated almost £1 million to the Conservatives, advertising in the party’s conference brochure. The cryptocurrency industry also maintained a prominent presence, reflecting Farage’s pledge to deregulate the sector.
Reform sources revealed the party raised £1.5 million in donations during the second quarter of 2025, though this still lags behind the Conservatives’ £4.5 million and Labour’s £3 million for the same period.
Conference organisers reported that Reform’s football-style merchandise, including £25 scarves and turquoise shirts, have been “selling like hotcakes”, with members eager to display their allegiance to what many now see as Britain’s authentic opposition party.
Warning Signs for Traditional Parties
Political analysts suggest the Rees-Mogg family split represents a microcosm of the broader realignment occurring on the British right. When you have teenagers from prominent Conservative families choosing Reform over the party their parents served in Cabinet, it signals a generational shift that should terrify Tory headquarters,” observed one Westminster insider.
The revelation that Mary Rees-Mogg joined the Conservatives aged five but has now defected before even finishing her A-levels encapsulates the challenge facing the traditional party. Her blunt assessment that she “couldn’t find any” leaders in the Conservative Party will resonate with many former Tory voters who switched to Reform in July’s election.
Sir Jacob’s insistence on remaining a Conservative whilst his daughter joins Reform illustrates the painful dilemma facing many on the Tory right – torn between institutional loyalty and ideological alignment with Farage’s insurgent movement.
Future of the Right in Balance
As Reform UK’s conference concludes with record attendance and growing mainstream credibility, the pressure on the Conservatives to respond intensifies. Sir Jacob’s call for the “family of the right” to unite may prove prophetic, though whether this occurs through electoral pacts, mass defections, or eventual merger remains to be seen.
For now, the image of Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, the epitome of traditional Conservatism, being cheered by Reform UK members whilst his teenage daughter campaigns to convert him to Farage’s cause, perfectly captures the extraordinary political realignment reshaping British politics.
The question is no longer whether Reform UK poses a threat to the Conservative Party’s survival, but whether figures like Sir Jacob can bridge the divide before it becomes unbridgeable. As Mary Rees-Mogg’s defection demonstrates, for the younger generation of right-wing activists, that choice has already been made.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
