defection

If the prime purpose of this military build-up is to threaten Maduro, it is unclear whether it is enough to prompt defections.

Reform, which has one MS after the defection of Laura Ann Jones, said it would not support a budget that continues to fund the Nation of Sanctuary policy.

Calls from the opposition for the military and security forces to abandon President Maduro have so far not produced significant defections.

But Badenoch dismissed the announcement of the defections as "a stunt".

Nigel Farage's party has been using the third day of the conference to announce a string of councillor defections to Reform UK.