Jonathan Gullis’ Big Political Leap to Reform UK
So, let me walk you through what’s happening with Jonathan Gullis, because it’s become quite a talking point in UK politics. After spending 18 years with the Conservative Party, Gullis — who many will remember as the former MP for Stoke-on-Trent North and a one-time deputy chairman of the Conservative Party — has officially cut ties with the Tories and moved over to Reform UK. The announcement was made just recently, and it’s already stirring plenty of conversation both locally and nationally.
Gullis explained that his decision didn’t happen overnight. According to the statement he released, he felt that the Conservative Party had slowly drifted away from the people it was originally meant to represent. He pointed to issues like the government’s failure to get a grip on both legal and illegal migration, and the push toward a Net Zero strategy that — in his view — has ended up raising household energy bills and putting jobs at risk. For a place like Stoke-on-Trent, known globally for its ceramics industry, those concerns felt especially real. In his words, the party had “lost the trust of the British people,” and he no longer felt aligned with its direction.
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What makes this move even more interesting is that it didn’t happen in isolation. Just a month earlier, Daniel Jellyman — the Conservative group leader on Stoke-on-Trent City Council — also defected to Reform UK. So Gullis’ shift adds to a wider pattern of local political momentum building around Reform. The party also recently secured its first seat on the city council after Luke Shenton won a by-election in May. Shenton welcomed Gullis’ decision, calling it a “huge boost” for the party locally and promising that Reform would work to fight for the hardworking people of Stoke-on-Trent.
While Gullis is best known for his time in Parliament, including serving as Minister for School Standards, he currently holds another significant position — Mayor of Kidsgrove. That makes his defection even more notable, because it brings a sitting local leader under the Reform banner. As expected, the BBC has reached out to the Staffordshire Conservatives for a response, though none has been shared yet.
Overall, Gullis’ move signals a growing frustration among some former Conservatives who feel their party has lost its footing. And with Reform UK steadily gaining visibility in the region, his decision could reshape political dynamics across Stoke-on-Trent and beyond.
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