Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg's daughter has revealed the real reason that she quit the Tories to join Reform UK as she accompanied her father to a fringe event at the NEC in Birmingham.
The former Business Secretary was swamped by a huge crowd at the Nelson Theatre as he addressed Reform members about the lessons Nigel Farage could learn from President Donald Trump.
Opening the event, Sir Jacob admitted that his 16-year-old daughter Mary had joined Reform UK and has been "twisting his arm" about becoming yet another Tory defector.
However, Sir Jacob appeared to rule out defecting to Reform UK, having been identified as a potential switcher to Ukip when Mr Farage was leader in 2014.
Sir Jacob said: "Mary has joined Reform...but I’m not going to.
"I’m going to remain a Tory because I think it is fundamental that we bring the family of the right together."
Speaking at an event at the Reform conference alongside historian David Starkey, he said the "family of the right" needed to unite in a first-past-the-post system to win a majority.
After the event, Mary spoke to GB News about her decision.
Former Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg and his daughter Mary during the party's annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.
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The A Level student, who said she might have been as young as five when she first joined the Tories, revealed that one event in particular led her to switch political allegiances.
She told The People's Channel: "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.
"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 Mr Farage's as the "people's choice", also shed some light on how difficult it was to win over her father.
Jacob Rees-Mogg speaking during the Reform UK party's annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham
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"I would love it if he joined Reform, that would be absolutely fantastic," Mary said.
"But I do see what he's on about with 'Uniting the Right' about 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."
However, this is not the first time the Rees-Moggs have been politically divided.
Annunziata Rees-Mogg quit the Tories to stand for the Brexit Party in the 2019 EU Parliament Election.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage signing a football shirt during the party's annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham
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Despite returning to the Tory fold ahead of the 2019 General Election, Annunziata spent months as an elected MEP while her brother continued to represent North East Somerset as one of Boris Johnson's most loyal supporters.
Sir Jacob has also previously taken his children out canvassing for the Conservative Party, including his son, Peter, ahead of Ukip's victory in Rochester & Strood in 2014.
Despite rejecting calls to defect to Reform UK, Sir Jacob was received by a warm round of applause as he took to the fringe stage at the NEC.
The ex-Business Secretary was greeted by hundreds of adoring Reform supporters, with rows of people watching the event from outside the allocated area.
Sir Jacob's allies from his time as a Tory MP have appeared to been among the main switchers to Reform UK.
Ex-Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, former Conservative Party chairman Sir Jake Berry and Johnson-loyalist Dame Andrea Jenkyns have all crossed the floor.
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nigel Farage have been political friends for some time
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Sitting down with GB News Political Correspondent Katherine Forster earlier today, Mr Farage hinted that more Tories could soon join the turquoise tsunami.
He explained: "I made very clear on the stage yesterday that our biggest weakness is a lack of experience.
"We don't lack energy, we don't lack enthusiasm, we don't lack good people from all walks of life coming forward and wanting to be involved. But we don't know how it actually works.
Highlighting the party's addition of Nadine Dorries, Mr Farage teased: "And therefore, we need people who've been at the sharp end, who've worked in Cabinet, who understand what the interactions with the civil service are like.
"And Nadine Dorries is the first person that's come to us that's got that experience, and there will be more."