Member of Parliament Andrew Rosindell has lost a High Court fight to regain access to his constituency office after the local Conservative association changed the locks following his defection to Reform UK.
The MP, who has served the Romford constituency in east London since 2001, switched allegiances to Reform UK in January. Consequently, he found himself permanently locked out of his longstanding workspace in Margaret Thatcher House.
Launching legal action against the Romford Conservative Association (RCA)—the building's managers—Rosindell's legal team argued the group had bypassed the courts and unlawfully taken matters into its own hands. They sought an injunction to grant the MP "full and unfettered" access to the premises.
However, the RCA successfully argued that Rosindell's right to occupy the office was entirely dependent on his status as a Conservative MP. Representatives for the association also raised concerns that allowing him back into the building could enable him to "spy" on their political operations ahead of the local elections.
Delivering his ruling, Mr Justice Choudhury dismissed the MP's request, describing the case as "intrinsically weak." The judge noted that the MP should have recognized that his right to use the facility ended the moment he changed political parties.
"It would have been obvious to him from the moment of defecting that continued occupation would be unsustainable," the judge stated.
The judge further emphasized that sharing a political allegiance with the Conservative Party was a necessary and "common sense" requirement for operating out of the building. Consequently, Rosindell was ordered to cover £23,000 of the RCA's legal expenses. The court also highlighted a lack of evidence that the MP had actively searched for a new office.
Representing the RCA, Tiffany Scott KC pointed out that Rosindell had made no effort to secure an alternative workspace, suggesting that his new party, Reform UK, should be assisting him in the transition.
On behalf of the MP, Adam Richardson argued in written submissions that Rosindell had been paying approximately £1,250 a month for exclusive office use and unrestricted access for his team. Following the defection, the RCA reportedly invalidated the agreement and changed the locks without warning, only permitting the MP's staff to retrieve their belongings under strict supervision.
"The proper course would have been to seek possession through the court. Instead, the respondent has taken the law into its own hands," Richardson argued, adding that such actions were unlawful regardless of the underlying contract dispute.
Richardson also claimed the abrupt lockout severely hindered Rosindell's ability to assist his constituents and stripped him of vital security protections, including access to a panic room and CCTV systems previously available at the site.
