Reform UK鈥檚 Trump-style rally fires up new members
Farage made a dramatic entrance to the party's first conference since gaining five MPs in July's general election
- Published
With a giant Union Jack flag draped above his head, Nigel Farage received a hero鈥檚 welcome as he arrived at Reform UK鈥檚 conference in Birmingham on Friday.
A brief wave to the crowd, and the Reform leader disappeared behind a bus emblazoned with large red ticks, alongside three of his party's main aims.
鈥淪lash immigration. Slash the cost of living. Boost wages.鈥
The rock-and-roll entrance music for speakers and the 鈥淟et鈥檚 Make Britain Great鈥 baseball caps on show are reminiscent of a Donald Trump rally.
Some of the rhetoric feels familiar too. Like many speakers, Ann Widdecombe - a former Tory MP - says the government must 鈥渃ontrol our borders鈥.
If it doesn鈥檛 do that, 鈥渨e will do it the day Nigel Farage enters 10 Downing Street鈥, she says.
The audience lapped it up, cheering and shouting "shame" at any mention of Labour or Conservative politicians.
With 4,000 activists expected to attend, this conference is ambitious in scope.
It is Reform UK鈥檚 first since it gained five MPs in July鈥檚 general election, giving it a foothold in Parliament.
It鈥檚 a celebration of these new MPs - and a meet-and-greet for the many new members the party has attracted since Farage returned as leader during the general election campaign.
One party source told me he鈥檚 not entirely sure who鈥檚 going to show up this year.
Anita Tolgyesi Stanley said she may run to be a Reform UK councillor
The party says it now has 80,000 members - and I spoke to dozens who said they鈥檇 recently joined, as they entered the conference hall.
Lee Frost and Kenneth Frost, a father and son from Kent, said they joined the party last week.
Lee Frost said the Conservative government 鈥渄idn鈥檛 perform the way they should have done鈥.
鈥淚 voted for them quite a few times. I鈥檇 rather give Reform a chance. Immigration is going to get worse and worse.鈥
Anita Tolgyesi Stanley said she joined the party a few weeks ago 鈥渂ecause I was so disillusioned with local politics in Wolverhampton, I thought I鈥檇 get involved and do a little bit to help鈥.
She said she may stand as a councillor in next year鈥檚 local elections, 鈥渟o I鈥檓 coming here to see what training was available鈥.
It鈥檚 only a snapshot of the new Reform UK membership intake.
But its gives a sense of who鈥檚 interested in the party, as it seeks to professionalise and build a base of dedicated activists.
Reform UK will want to encourage many more to pay its 拢25 membership fee to match its political rivals, and expand its electoral footprint.
The works starts here in Birmingham.