NADHIM ZAHAWI has defected from the Conservative Party to Reform UK, becoming Nigel Farage’s highest-profile political recruit to date and delivering a fresh blow to the Tories’ attempts to rebuild after last year’s general election defeat.

The former chancellor, who served briefly in the role under Rishi Sunak, was unveiled at a Reform UK press conference in London on Monday morning alongside party leader Nigel Farage.

Zahawi, who was sacked from the cabinet in 2023 following a dispute with HM Revenue and Customs over his tax affairs, said he had reflected deeply on his time in government and concluded that Britain “needs Reform”.

Speaking to reporters, Zahawi said he could have stepped away from politics altogether, noting that he now chairs one of the UK’s largest retailers. However, he said he felt a duty to act as the country entered what he described as a “dark and dangerous chapter”.

“We can all see that our beautiful, ancient, kind, magical island story has reached a dark and dangerous chapter,” he said. “You know in your heart of hearts that our wonderful country is sick.”

He argued that Westminster had become detached from the lived experience of people struggling to access GP appointments, facing rising taxes, or concerned about freedom of expression and education policy.

Tax row played down

Zahawi was challenged on whether his tax settlement undermined Reform UK’s anti-establishment credentials.

Responding, he said his mistake had been failing to be sufficiently specific with the Cabinet Office about the settlement he reached with HMRC. He did not dispute the findings that led to his dismissal from government.

Farage moved quickly to downplay the issue, saying tax disputes were commonplace among senior business figures.

“There’s nobody with a complex business empire that does not have to have negotiations at some point with HMRC,” he said.

Farage also compared Zahawi’s treatment to criticism faced by Reform’s London mayoral candidate, Laila Cunningham, who was attacked last week over past business failures. In the United States, he said, such failures were often seen as part of the route to success.

Attack on ‘administrative state’

In a wide-ranging speech, Zahawi accepted that the Conservatives bore responsibility for many of the country’s problems, saying he now regretted what he described as the party’s “timidity” in government.

He blamed what he called “over-mighty bureaucratic inertia” for restricting individual liberty and stifling economic growth, arguing that power had drained from parliament to unelected bodies.

While stressing his respect for civil servants as individuals, he said collectively they had turned the UK into “an administrative state”.

Zahawi also criticised Conservative failures on mass migration, defence spending and legislation he described as “virtue signalling”, saying these had provided “painful lessons” that brought him to Reform UK.

Concluding the event, Farage said: “Britain needs Reform.”

International spiritualist medium to appear at rugby club event

A CHARITY evening with an international spiritualist medium is set to take place in Milford Haven later this month, with all proceeds going to Cancer Research Wales.

The event will be held on Friday (Jan 16) at Milford Haven Rugby Club, and will feature a live demonstration by Lee Mills, who is described by organisers as an internationally recognised spiritualist medium.

Organised in support of Cancer Research Wales, the evening aims to raise funds for cancer research carried out in Wales. Organisers have confirmed that all proceeds raised on the night will be donated to the charity.

Doors open at 6:30pm, with the event starting at 7:00pm. Tickets are priced at £12, and the evening is a ticket-only event.

Those wishing to attend are advised to book in advance. Tickets can be available by contacting Sara on 07817 677632.

Organisers said the event offers local residents the chance to enjoy an evening of entertainment while also supporting a Welsh charity dedicated to funding life-saving cancer research.

A GENEROUS grant from a volunteer-led local group, part of Sands, has funded a bespoke pull-down double bed for the bereavement room on the labour ward at Glangwili Hospital.

The specialist fitted bed, which cost more than £16,000, has transformed the bereavement room into a more family-focused space, allowing parents to remain close and support one another at an incredibly difficult time.

The bereavement room forms part of the hospital’s newly built Labour Suite and is fully self-contained, with a kitchenette, small dining area and ensuite bathroom. Until now, however, the room only included a birthing bed and a single sofa bed, meaning partners were unable to rest together.

Feedback gathered from bereaved families through Sands and local parent support groups highlighted the importance of physical closeness following the loss of a baby. Parents described how being able to lie together, rather than apart, can provide comfort, reassurance and a sense of shared support during the early stages of grief.

The funds for the bed were raised by Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire Sands volunteers Hayley Vallance, Astra Shipton and Sioned Twose, who organised a burlesque-inspired charity event, Zoo-la-la, at Manor House Wildlife Park in September 2025. The event raised more than £20,000.

The volunteer-led Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire Sands group supports anyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby across the two counties.

Alison Jones, Clinical and Operational Lead Midwife, said: “The loss of a baby is a devastating experience, and the environment in which families grieve can make a real difference.

“This bespoke bed allows parents to be physically close, to hold each other and to share their grief in a private, dignified space. It will have a profound impact, and we are incredibly grateful to Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire Sands for making this possible.”

Hayley Vallance and Astra Shipton, volunteers with Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire Sands, said:
“Our fundraising is in memory of George, Owen and all the babies gone too soon, and to help raise awareness of the vital support provided by Sands and the NHS to families when they need it most.

“We hope this specialist bed will bring comfort and dignity to parents during the hardest moments of their lives. Couples deserve to be together at such times, and we are honoured to have supported such a meaningful improvement in care for our community.”

Jen Coates, Director of Bereavement Support, Community and Volunteering at Sands, said:
“We are extremely grateful to Hayley, Astra and Sioned for their dedication and hard work supporting bereaved families in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

“By fundraising for this bed at Glangwili Hospital, our volunteers have made a lasting and meaningful difference to the experience of families at an unimaginably difficult time.”