The Conservative Party’s desperate hunt for MPs has taken them to one of London’s most exclusive dining rooms, where Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick was spotted courting Reform UK defector Rupert Lowe over lunch at the ultra-posh 5 Hertford Street club.
The private members’ venue in Mayfair, where annual membership reportedly costs more than most people’s monthly salary, played host to what insiders are calling a “political speed date” between Jenrick and the Great Yarmouth MP who dramatically quit Nigel Farage’s party just months ago.
Lowe, who’s been sitting as an Independent since his March split from Reform, is apparently “keeping all options open” – political speak for “show me what you’re offering” – after telling PoliticsHome he hasn’t ruled out joining the Tories.
A reformed Conservative Party would probably be the most powerful vehicle right now,” Lowe told GB News last week, in what sounds suspiciously like a man angling for a good deal.
The lunch at 5 Hertford Street – the kind of place where champagne costs more than a weekly shop and you might bump into a minor royal in the loo – suggests the Tories are pulling out all the stops to woo potential defectors.
One Westminster insider quipped: “Nothing says ‘party of the people’ like discussing politics over foie gras in Mayfair. Very on-brand for the modern Tories.”
The wooing appears to be working, with Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Alex Burghart going on Camilla Tominey’s show to flutter his eyelashes at Lowe, saying it’s “not a no” if he wants to apply to join.
We would look very closely and carefully at any application if he chooses to make one,” Burghart said, trying to sound casual about the whole thing while probably already measuring up office space.
For Lowe, who made his fortune in football and property before entering politics, the courtship makes sense. He’s got more in common with the Tory benches than Reform’s more populist brigade, and being an Independent MP is a bit like being the only single person at a couples’ dinner party.
Rupert’s always been more country club than working men’s club,” observed one Reform source, still smarting from his defection. “The only surprise is it took this long for the Tories to wine and dine him properly.”
The timing is particularly interesting given the Conservative Party’s current identity crisis. With members still licking their wounds from the last election hammering, bringing in someone from Reform’s world could either be seen as pragmatic bridge-building or desperate barrel-scraping.
Political analyst Dr Emma Richardson said: “The Tories are clearly fishing in Reform’s pond, trying to rebuild their numbers and credibility on the right. Lowe would be quite a catch – he’s got that anti-establishment credential from Reform but speaks fluent Tory.
The choice of 5 Hertford Street for the meeting raised eyebrows among those who track these things. The club, owned by Robin Birley, is known for its discretion and has hosted everyone from Boris Johnson to various members of the Royal Family.
“If you’re going to be wooed, might as well be wooed properly,” joked one MP. “Better than a Pret sandwich in Portcullis House.”
Lowe’s potential defection would be particularly awkward for Farage, who’s already dealing with rumblings of discontent in Reform ranks. Losing an MP to the Tories – the very party Reform positions itself against – would be a propaganda disaster.
The lunch has also sparked speculation about what exactly Jenrick might have offered. Shadow cabinet positions don’t grow on trees, and Lowe would presumably want something substantial to make the jump.
He’s not going to cross the floor for a junior spokesperson role on widgets,” said one Conservative insider. “If they want him, they’ll have to make it worth his while.”
There’s also the small matter of whether local Tory associations would welcome someone who’s spent the last few years attacking their party. Great Yarmouth Conservatives might have views on suddenly adopting an MP who won by positioning himself as their antithesis.
Lowe himself is playing it cool, telling reporters that rumours of him starting his own party were wide of the mark while keeping the door open to “all options.” It’s the political equivalent of being on multiple dating apps while texting your ex.
Some Reform supporters are already crying betrayal. “First he abandons Nigel, now he’s having secret lunches with the establishment,” fumed one activist on social media. “This is exactly what we’re fighting against.”
But for the Conservatives, desperately trying to rebuild after their electoral drubbing, any port in a storm seems to be the motto. If that port happens to be an exclusive Mayfair members’ club, so much the better.
Look, we need MPs and Rupert needs a political home,” said one pragmatic Tory. Sometimes politics is just that simple. Plus, the wine list at 5 Hertford Street is exceptional.”
The question now is whether Lowe will take the plunge or continue his political version of playing hard to get. Sources close to him suggest he’s genuinely weighing his options, aware that his next move could define the rest of his political career.
Meanwhile, Jenrick’s charm offensive continues. Word is he’s already cleared his diary for follow-up meetings, presumably at similarly swanky locations.
As one veteran observer put it: “In the old days, political defections happened over whisky in smoke-filled rooms. Now it’s organic wine in Mayfair clubs. The game’s the same, just the venue’s got posher.”
Whether Lowe ultimately joins the Tories or not, one thing’s clear: being a political free agent in the current Parliament has its perks. Especially if those perks include lunch at one of London’s most exclusive clubs with desperate suitors picking up the tab.
