Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, was welcomed to their conference in Birmingham on Friday with a large Union Jack flag draped over his head. After waving to the crowd, he disappeared behind a bus that displayed three of the party’s main aims: “Slash immigration. Slash the cost of living. Boost wages.”
The conference included rock-and-roll entrance music for speakers and “Let’s Make Britain Great” baseball caps, which gave it a feel reminiscent of a Donald Trump rally. Several speakers, including Ann Widdecombe, a former Tory MP, spoke about the need for the government to “control our borders.” Widdecombe even stated that if the government doesn’t do so, “we will do it the day Nigel Farage enters 10 Downing Street,” to which the audience cheered and shouted “shame” at any mention of Labour or Conservative politicians.
With 4,000 activists in attendance, this conference was ambitious in scope. It was Reform UK’s first since it gained five MPs in July’s general election, giving it a foothold in Parliament. The party claims to have 80,000 members, and dozens of attendees said they had recently joined the party upon entering the conference hall.
Lee Frost and Kenneth Frost, a father and son from Kent, joined Reform UK last week. Lee Frost said he voted for the Conservative government several times, but they “didn’t perform the way they should have done.” He added, “I’d rather give Reform a chance. Immigration is going to get worse and worse.” Anita Tolgyesi Stanley, who joined a few weeks prior, stated: “I was so disillusioned with local politics in Wolverhampton, I thought I’d get involved and do a little bit to help.”
Reform UK will need to encourage more people to join and expand its electoral footprint, paying its £25 membership fee to match its rivals. The conference was a celebration of Reform UK’s new MPs and a great opportunity for the party to meet and greet many new members. With these new members in tow, Reform UK is seeking to professionalize and build a dedicated activist base, and Birmingham was the starting point
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