Young Conservatives Defect to Lib Dems, Citing Discomfort Under Badenoch's Leadership

Former young Conservative activists are joining the Liberal Democrats, with some saying they feel pushed out of the Tory party under leader Kemi Badenoch, according to The Guardian.

The Guardian reported that self-described moderates say Ed Davey's Liberal Democrats now offer them a political home. The report highlighted 21-year-old Cody Butler, who resigned as chair of the One Nation Conservative Network and left the Conservative Party in July, arguing that centrists, remainers, and members concerned about the climate crisis and conservation were no longer welcome. Butler joined the Lib Dems a week before the party's annual conference in Brighton, The Guardian said.