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The emergence of Reform UK and the prominent figure of Nigel Farage have cast a shadow over the party conference season, prompting established parties to devise responses to the party’s rapid ascent. Unlike Labour and the Liberal Democrats, who launched aggressive offensives against Farage, the Conservative Party seems to have taken a more subdued approach at their conference. Reform UK poses not just an electoral challenge to the Conservatives, but an existential threat.
The Conservative Party is witnessing a drain of members, elected officials, and influence to Reform UK, a trend underscored by the recent revelation of 20 Tory defectors on local councils. To counter this, the Tory leadership has opted to cast Farage as lacking in serious solutions to the nation’s issues, willing to adopt any stance to garner votes, even if it means masquerading as a leftist when beneficial. Despite efforts to paint Farage in a negative light, some Conservative members feel conflicted about attacking him, as they see him as a Tory at heart and want to foster unity on the right.
At a side event during the conference, former Brexit minister Lord Frost delivered a frank assessment of the Conservative Party’s predicament under its current leadership. According to Frost, the party has shed 10 million votes from the 2019 general election to 2024, with opinion poll ratings plummeting. He cautioned that the party is teetering on the brink of irrelevance unless it acknowledges the gravity of its situation and embarks on a course correction. Frost advocated for a rightward policy shift and a sharper delineation of the party’s values.
Amidst differing perspectives within the party, veteran Tory MP David Davis expressed optimism about the Conservative Party’s prospects under the leadership of Kemi Badenoch. Davis believed that the party could triumph in the next election, especially considering the perceived lack of solutions from the Labour Party to steer the country out of financial distress. Drawing parallels to the economic turmoil of the late 1970s, Davis suggested that a crisis could pave the way for the Conservatives to emerge as the rightful answer, akin to the impact Margaret Thatcher had during her tenure. As Badenoch navigates the challenges posed by Farage and Reform, her handling of the situation could determine her political longevity
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