Reform UK explained

Reform UK should not be confused with Change UK.

Reform UK
Foundation: as the Brexit Party
Split:UK Independence Party
Position:Right-wing[1]
Wing1 Title:Devolved branches
Wing1:Reform UK Scotland
Reform UK Wales
Country:United Kingdom
Founders:
Leader1 Title:Leader
Leader1 Name:Nigel Farage
Leader2 Title:Deputy Leader
Leader2 Name:Richard Tice
Leader3 Title:Chief Whip
Leader3 Name:Lee Anderson (Commons)
Leader4 Title:Chairman
Leader4 Name:Zia Yusuf
Membership Year:July 2024
Membership: 65,000+[2]
Seats2 Title:House of Lords
Seats3 Title:London Assembly
Slogan:Britain Needs Reform
Affiliation1 Title:Affiliates
Affiliation1:Reform Derby[3]
Bolton for Change[4]
Affiliation2 Title:Northern Irish affiliation
Affiliation2:Reform UK–TUV alliance
Seats4 Title:Local government[5]

Reform UK is a right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Nigel Farage has served as the party's leader since June 2024 and Richard Tice has served as the party's deputy leader since July 2024. The party currently has five members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons and one member of the London Assembly. Following Farage's resumption of the leadership during the 2024 general election, there was a sharp increase in support for the party. In the election it was the third largest party by popular vote, with 14.3 per cent of the vote.[6]

Founded in November 2018 as the Brexit Party, advocating a no-deal Brexit, it won the most seats at the 2019 European Parliament election in the UK, but did not win any seats at the 2019 general election. The UK withdrew from the European Union (EU) in January 2020. A year later, in January 2021, the party was renamed Reform UK.[7] During the COVID-19 pandemic the party advocated against further lockdowns. Since 2022, it has campaigned on a broader platform, in particular pledging to reduce net migration, supporting low taxation, and opposing the government's net-zero energy policy.[8] [9] [10]

Farage had been the leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), a right-wing populist and Eurosceptic party, in the first half of the 2010s, and returned to frontline politics as leader of the Brexit Party during the Brexit process after the 2016 EU membership referendum, which had been called partly in response to UKIP's influence.[11] [12] The party won 29 seats at the May 2019 European Parliament election, which was the best result for any single party in the 9th European Parliament. The Brexit Party campaigned for a no-deal Brexit and there were high-profile defections to it from the Conservative Party, including Ann Widdecombe and Annunziata Rees-Mogg.[13] Following Boris Johnson's election as leader of the Conservative Party Farage offered him an electoral pact at the 2019 general election, which Johnson rejected. The Brexit Party decided unilaterally not to stand candidates against sitting Conservative MPs.

By May 2020 the British exit from the EU having taken place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy and a name change from Brexit Party to Reform Party was proposed.[14] [15] [16] The COVID-19 pandemic began in the UK in 2020, and the Conservative government imposed a series of national lockdowns. Farage rebranded the party as Reform UK around the end of the year and focused on anti-lockdown campaigning.[17] [18] Farage stepped down as leader in March 2021 and was succeeded by Richard Tice. In March 2024 Lee Anderson, who was elected in 2019 as a Conservative MP, defected to Reform UK, becoming the party's first MP.[19] On 3 June 2024, Tice announced that Farage would become leader once more, with Tice continuing as chairman.[20] The party won 5 seats in the 2024 general election – the first time that Reform UK had MPs elected to the House of Commons.

History

Brexit Party

The incorporation of the Brexit Party Limited in November 2018[21] was formally announced on 20 January 2019 by former UKIP economics spokesperson[22] Catherine Blaiklock, who served as the party's initial leader.[23] On 5 February 2019, it was registered with the United Kingdom Electoral Commission to run candidates in any English, Scottish, Welsh and European Union elections.[24]

On the day of the announcement, Nigel Farage, who had been an independent MEP since his departure from UKIP in early December 2018, said that the party was Blaiklock's idea, but that she had acted with his full support. On 8 February 2019, Farage stated he would stand as a candidate for the party in any potential future European Parliament elections contested in the United Kingdom.[25] [26] MEPs Steven Woolfe and Nathan Gill, also formerly of UKIP, stated that they would also stand for the party,[27] [28] though Woolfe was subsequently not permitted to do so.[29]

On 1 February 2019, Blaiklock told The Daily Telegraph the party had raised £1 million in donations, and that over 200 people had come forward offering to stand for the Brexit Party at the May 2019 European Parliament election, if the United Kingdom had not left the European Union by then.[30]

Blaiklock resigned as party leader on 20 March 2019 over since-deleted anti-Islam messages on Twitter, including re-tweeting messages by far-right figures Mark Collett, Tommy Robinson and Joe Walsh, for which she apologised.[31] Farage said that he would take over as leader, that Blaiklock was "never intended to be the long-term leader"[32] and that the party "is at the moment a virtual party – it's a website".[33] On the party's launch on 12 April, asked about issues with Blaiklock, Farage said: "I set the party up, she was the administrator that got it set up. We had a couple of teething problems, yes, but are we going to be deeply intolerant of all forms of intolerance? Yes."[34] In April 2019, the party's treasurer Michael McGough was removed from his position after The Guardian uncovered antisemitic and homophobic social media comments he had posted in 2017.[35]

The party's lead aim was for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, and then for Britain to trade internationally on World Trade Organization terms.[36] In April 2019, Farage said that there was "no difference between the Brexit party and UKIP in terms of policy, [but] in terms of personnel, there's a vast difference", criticising UKIP's connections to the far right. He also said that the party aimed to attract support from "across the board", including former UKIP voters and Conservative and Labour voters who had supported Brexit. Later in the month he said that the party would not publish a manifesto until after the European elections had taken place,[37] saying that the party would have a policy platform instead of a manifesto.[38]

In May 2019, Farage described his admiration for how fellow Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy members, Italy's Five Star Movement, had managed to grow from a protest group into the country's largest political party in both houses of the Italian Parliament. He saw the Brexit Party doing the same kind of thing and "running a company, not a political party, hence our model of registered supporters" and building a base using an online platform.[39]

On 22 November 2019, the Brexit Party set out its proposals for the 2019 UK general election. They covered a wide range of policy areas including taxation, reforming politics, immigration and the environment. The party received two percent of the vote in the election, with none of its 273 candidates winning a seat.[40]

Transition into Reform UK

Before the general election on 8 December 2019, the party's leader Nigel Farage announced that, following Brexit, the party would change its name to the "Reform Party", and campaign for changes in the electoral system and structure of the House of Commons.[41]

In July 2020, Italexit, a Eurosceptic party inspired by the Brexit Party, was founded in Italy.[42] In November 2020, Farage and Tice announced that they had applied to the Electoral Commission to rename the Brexit Party to 'Reform UK'. They said that the party would campaign on a platform that was opposed to further COVID-19 lockdowns (due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic) and that it would seek to reform aspects of UK Governance, including the BBC and House of Lords. The party also gave its support to the Great Barrington Declaration.[43] On 4 January 2021, the party's name change to Reform UK was approved by the Electoral Commission.[44]

In 2021, Reform UK gained representation in the Scottish Parliament when former Conservative and then independent MSP Michelle Ballantyne joined the party and was named Reform UK's leader in Holyrood.[45] She lost her and the party's only seat in Scotland in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election,[46] [47] and resigned as the party's leader in Scotland in February 2022.[46] [47]

Farage stepped down as leader in March 2021, being replaced by party chairman Richard Tice.[48] Former North West England MEP David Bull was appointed as deputy leader of the party on 11 March 2021.[49] [50] On 26 March 2021, it was announced that former Brexit Party MEP Nathan Gill had become the Leader of Reform UK Wales.[51]

In 2021, Reform UK announced its intention to field a full slate of candidates in the Senedd, Scottish Parliament and London Assembly elections with leader Richard Tice standing for election in the latter.[52] [53] [54] However, the party did not nominate a candidate for London Mayor after making a pact with Reclaim Party leader and actor Laurence Fox. Fox finished sixth in the mayoral election with less than 2% of the votes.[55] The party failed to win any seats above local level in the 2021 elections in May, and lost their deposit in the Hartlepool by-election.[56]

In the Senedd election, the party fielded a full slate of candidates in every constituency and on the regional lists, but picked up just 1.6% of the constituency vote (7th place) and 1.1% of the regional list votes (8th place).[57] In the Scottish Parliament election, no constituency candidates were fielded and the party received only 5,793 list votes across the whole country.[58] In the London Assembly election, none of their constituency candidates were elected and the party finished tenth on the London-wide list with 25,009 votes.[59] [60]

Developments prior to the 2024 general election

In October 2022, Reform UK and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) announced an electoral pact.[61] [62] Richard Tice declared Reform's intention to stand in 630 constituencies across England, Scotland and Wales with "no ifs, no buts".[63] In December 2022, David White, a Conservative member of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, and Richard Langridge, a Conservative member of West Oxfordshire District Council, both defected to Reform UK to stand as prospective parliamentary candidates for the party.[64] [65]

The media gave renewed attention to Reform UK in December 2022 during the cost-of-living crisis after Farage announced that it would stand a full slate of candidates at the next general election.[66] [67] [68] Tice remained leader of the party. After some opinion polls indicated a modest increase in support for Reform UK, The Daily Telegraph described the party as a "threat on the Right" to the Conservative government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.[69]

On the weekend of 7 and 8 October 2023, Reform UK held its party conference in London with 1,100 attendees.[70] On 20 October 2023, Richard Tice confirmed that Reform UK would stand in Conservative seats at the 2024 general election,[71] and by January 2024, the party was polling around 10% of the popular vote. It was suggested that Reform UK would play the role of spoiler party for the Conservatives, since it attracted former Tory voters. The Guardian speculated that votes for the party could lead to more than 30 additional seat losses for the Conservative Party.[72]

In Northern Ireland, in March 2024, the party formed an electoral pact with the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), in which the two parties would stand mutually agreed candidates there.[73]

In April 2024, it was reported that the Reform Party had expelled a number of prospective candidates for making embarrassing public statements. Richard Tice said that "every party has their share frankly of muppets and morons".[74] [75] In March, Beau Dade, the prospective candidate in South Swindon, was dismissed by the party after it emerged that he had written an article saying, "The end game is to be in a position where it is possible to re-migrate hundreds of thousands – perhaps millions – of people back to their countries of origin... This is just one more unfortunate horror which the leftists and globalists and traitors have forced upon us."[76] A spokesman for Reform UK said that it had "acted quickly" in sacking Dade, and that the party did not want to be represented by someone with his views.

Two parliamentary candidates were dropped in April 2024 for comments made on social media in 2019–21. Jonathan Kay, who was set to stand in South Ribble, had tweeted in 2019 that the average IQ of Africans was "among the lowest in the world".[77] Mick Greenhough, who was to stand in Orpington, tweeted in 2019 that, "Most Jews are reasonable people. Their problem is the Ashkenazi Jews who have caused the world massive misery."[78] Greenhough also claimed that the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was "a Jew and closer to Cultural Marxism than Christianity."[78] A spokesman for Reform said that, while the party defended its "candidates' right to freedom of speech", they "act fast when we find that individuals' statements fall beneath our standards."[77]

In May 2024, Alex Wilson became Reform's first London Assembly member, elected via the Londonwide voting system.[79]

On 3 June 2024, Farage replaced Tice as leader of the party.[80] It gained five MP's in England in the July 2024 general election, and its Northern Irish affiliate TUV, one. [81] Following the election, on 11 July, Zia Yusuf replaced Tice as chairman of the party, with Tice, now an MP, replacing Ben Habib as deputy leader.[82] [83]

Representation

House of Commons

See main article: List of Reform UK MPs. Lee Anderson, elected as the Conservative Party MP for Ashfield in the 2019 general election, defected to Reform UK in March 2024, giving the party its first MP.[84] He was re-elected in the 2024 general election and joined by Nigel Farage, Richard Tice, Rupert Lowe, and James McMurdock, representing Clacton, Boston and Skegness, Great Yarmouth, and South Basildon and East Thurrock respectively.[85] [86]

European Parliament

In February 2019, nine MEPs who had left UKIP in opposition to Gerard Batten's leadership joined the party, and by mid-April 2019 the number had increased to 14, all being members of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) group in the European Parliament.[87]

!Name!Constituency!First elected!Joined!Notes
South East England1 July 2014
Scotland1 July 2014
South East England10 June 1999Leader of party; successfully sought re-election in 2019
Wales1 July 2014Former AM; successfully sought re-election in 2019
South West England1 July 2014
East of England1 July 2014
East Midlands28 July 2017Successfully sought re-election in 2019
West Midlands1 July 2014
North West England14 July 2009
West Midlands1 July 2014
Yorkshire and the Humber1 July 2014
East Midlands1 July 2014
North East England1 July 2014
South East England1 July 2014

Only three of these incumbent MEPs − Farage, Gill and Bullock − were selected to stand for the Brexit Party in the 2019 election,[88] which took place on 23 May 2019. 29 Brexit Party MEPs were elected to the European Parliament, including Richard Tice and former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, while Nigel Farage, Nathan Gill and Jonathan Bullock kept their seats.[89] BBC News described the Brexit Party, which gained 31.6% of the vote in the UK, as "the clear winner in the UK's European elections."[90]

The Brexit Party MEPs were not members of a group in the Parliament. MEP Andrew England Kerr was expelled from the party on 29 September 2019 over a potential conflict of interest. Farage explained that England Kerr made "comments about a business and a product that he has a direct financial investment in and we think that is unacceptable."[91] MEP Louis Stedman-Bryce resigned on 19 November 2019 in response to "The Brexit Party’s recent decision to select a Scottish candidate who has openly posted homophobic views".[92]

London Assembly

Reform UK's Alex Wilson stood as a London-wide candidate for the 2024 London Assembly election, earning Reform UK one seat in the London-wide assembly.

Senedd

On 15 May 2019, four Members originally elected or co-opted for UKIP (Caroline Jones, Mandy Jones, David Rowlands and Mark Reckless) joined the Brexit Party,[93] with Reckless being appointed as leader of their group,[94] which was known as Welsh: Plaid Brexit in Welsh.[95] In May 2020, Reckless said that Nigel Farage is "consulted over key decisions... but he doesn't micro-manage us here," and that in the 2021 Senedd election it would campaign to scrap the current system of devolution and replace it with a directly elected first minister accountable to Welsh MPs.[96] This policy announcement triggered the departure from the party's group in the Senedd of both Jones's and David Rowlands. They formed a new members group, the Independent Alliance for Reform, which sought to reform rather than abolish the Senedd.[97] [98] The remaining Brexit Party Senedd group member, Mark Reckless, left to join the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party.[99]

The Brexit Party contested the 2021 Senedd election on a platform of ending lockdowns, investing in the NHS, giving parents greater control over education, building the M4 relief road, and cutting local government,[100] but did not win any seats.[101]

Scottish Parliament

On 11 January 2021, independent MSP Michelle Ballantyne joined Reform UK. She first sat as a Conservative but left the party in 2020 over opposition to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions,[102] continuing to sit as an independent until January 2021 when she joined the party in Scotland and was appointed leader there.[103] Ballantyne continued to sit with the party until the 2021 Scottish Parliament election in May, when she lost her seat to a candidate from the Scottish Conservatives. She resigned as the party's leader in Scotland in February 2022.[46] [47]

Ideology and platform

The British politics professor Matthew Goodwin[104] described the party as national populists, while Goodwin and others have also described the Brexit Party as neoliberal,[105] populist,[106] right-wing populist,[107] [108] [109] [110] right-wing nationalist,[111] and radical right.[112] [113] [114]

In January 2024, the French newspaper Le Monde claimed that Reform UK is a far-right party.[115] In March 2024, the BBC also called the party far-right, but soon retracted its statement and apologised to Reform UK, writing that describing the party as far-right "fell short of our usual editorial standards".[116] Commenting on the incident, political scientist Tim Bale wrote that labelling Reform UK as far-right is unhelpful, and that it "causes too visceral a reaction and at the same time is too broad to be meaningful". Bale noted the importance of distinguishing between the "extreme right" and "populist radical right".[117] Reform UK itself rejects the descriptor, and has threatened legal action against media using it.[118]

2019 European Parliament election platform as the Brexit Party

The party's constitution was published by the Electoral Commission as a result of a freedom of information request in May 2019.[119] It described the party as seeking to "promote and encourage those who aspire to improve their personal situation and those who seek to be self-reliant, whilst providing protection for those genuinely in need; favour the ability of individuals to make decisions in respect of themselves; seek to diminish the role of the State; lower the burden of taxation on individuals and businesses."[120]

SDP politician Patrick O'Flynn, who was elected as a UKIP MEP under Farage's leadership and supported the Brexit Party in the 2019 European elections, commented on the constitution's description of the party as following classical liberalism and described them as having a Thatcherite ideological core.[121] James Glancy, one of the party's MEPs, has compared the party to the Referendum Party, being a "united and diverse group of people from different political backgrounds".[122]

The party's first non-Brexit-related policy was announced on 4 June 2019: a proposition to transform British Steel into a partly worker-owned company, in what was described as "a hybrid of Conservative and Labour policy".[123] The party also supported cutting Britain's foreign aid budget, scrapping the proposed HS2 project and introducing free WiFi on all British public transport.[124] [125] The party also said it would scrap all interest paid on student tuition fees, reimburse graduates for historic interest payments made on their loans,[126] and pledged to abolish inheritance tax.[127]

In July 2019, the Brexit Party signed a cross-party declaration alongside the Liberal Democrats, Green Party of England and Wales, and the Scottish National Party, calling for first-past-the-post voting to be replaced by a proportional system for Westminster elections.[128]

2019 UK general election platform as the Brexit Party

On 22 November 2019, the Brexit Party set out its policy proposals for the 2019 UK general election. Its key policies for the election included:[129] [130]

2020–2024 as Reform UK

Following the UK's departure from the European Union on 31 January 2020 Farage sought a new right-wing populist project for the party under its new name of Reform UK, opposing further COVID-19 restrictions, paralleling right-wing populist anti-lockdown sentiments in other countries.[131]

In October 2021, at the party conference, leader Richard Tice criticised the Conservative Party as a party of "high tax". He said that his party would stand on a low-tax and low-regulation platform. The party supports raising the threshold at which people start paying income tax from £12,500 to £20,000, and exempting the smallest businesses from corporation tax. He also criticised the Conservative Party's plans to decarbonise the economy, saying that the UK should instead focus on exploiting reserves of shale gas. Tice has also said that net zero is an "absurdity" and "the greatest act of financial self-harm ever imposed on a country" that will "achieve nothing".[71] He has said that energy companies should be owned by the government or British pension funds to stop profits going abroad.[132]

2024 UK general election platform as Reform UK

On 17 June 2024, Reform UK launched their manifesto - which they described as a contract - with Farage presenting it during an interview. The policy proposals include:

Reform UK says that the total cost of its manifesto would be £140 billion but say that they would raise £150 billion. According to Reform UK, this money would be raised from the scrapping of net zero subsidies, the ending of payments of interest on quantitive easing reserves to banks, the halving of foreign aid, cuts to working age benefits and other public spending reductions.[147] [148] The party says that it would "cut bureaucracy […] without touching frontline services," while the Institute for Fiscal Studies says that the savings required "would almost certainly require substantial cuts to the quantity or quality of public services." Analysis has found that Reform UK's tax plans disproportionately benefit high earners.[149] Reform UK wants to raise the higher rate threshold of tax from £50,271 to £70,000, which would result in a tax cut of close to £6,000 for the top 10% of earners and far outweigh any benefit to the lowest earners.[149]

Funding and structure

In its early days, The Brexit Party officially had three members, who were Farage, Tracey Knowles and Mehrtash A’Zami. The party opted for signing up registered supporters rather than members. The party structure was criticised for not providing the party's over 115,000 paying registered supporters[150] with any voting power to influence party policy;[151] Farage retained a high level of control over decision-making, including hand-picking candidates himself.[152] Since 2021, the party has options to become a member, rather than a supporter.[153]

The Reform Party is a limited company (the Reform UK Party Limited)[154] with fifteen shares. Farage owns eight of these, giving him a controlling majority. The other shareholders are Tice, who holds five, and Chief Executive Paul Oakden and Party Treasurer Mehrtash A'Zami who each hold one share.[155]

Farage has said the party would largely be funded by small donations and that they raised "£750,000 in donations online, all in small sums of less than £500" in their first ten days. The party also accepts large donations.[156] He further said that the party would not be taking money from the key former UKIP funder Arron Banks. Farage personally faced questions during the 2019 electoral campaign after Channel 4 News revealed undeclared travel and accommodation benefits provided by Banks before Farage joined the Brexit Party, and on 21 May 2019 the European Parliament formally opened an investigation.[157] In response to the reporting, the Brexit Party banned Channel 4 News from its events.[158]

In 2019, £6.4m was donated to the party by Christopher Harborne,[159] and £200,000 by Jeremy Hosking, a former donor to the Conservative Party. 2023 donations included £200,000 from Terence Mordaunt's company First Corporate Consultants Ltd.[160]

Two days before the 2019 European election, Farage accused the Electoral Commission of "interfering in the electoral process" after the independent watchdog visited the Brexit Party headquarters for "active oversight and regulation" of party funding.[161] Official donations of £500 or more must be given by a "permissible donor", who should either be somebody listed on the British electoral roll or a business registered at Companies House and operating in Britain. When asked if the party took donations in foreign currency, Farage replied: "Absolutely not, we only take sterling – end of conversation." Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell called for "a full and open and transparent, independent inquiry into the funding of Mr Farage".[162] The Electoral Commission reported in July 2019 that following its visit it made recommendations to the party for more robust internal controls on permissible donations, as those in place had not been adequate, and that the party had returned a donation of £1,000 whose source could not be identified as acceptable.[163]

In May 2024, The Guardian said that 80% of the party's funding, in loans and donations, came from Tice. It reported Tice as saying that the Conservatives spend £35 million annually, while Reform spends less than £1.5 million.[164]

During the week following the 3 June 2024 announcement of Farage's resumption of party leadership, ITV News reported that party membership increased by 50% to 45,000.[165]

Leadership

Leaders

See main article: Leader of Reform UK. Reform UK has had three leaders. Catherine Blaiklock was its first leader, in early 2019.[166] Nigel Farage was leader from March 2019 until March 2021, when he resigned and Richard Tice took on the role.[167] On 3 June 2024 it was announced that Tice had invited Farage to return as leader, an offer Farage accepted.

Leader
PortraitTook officeLeft officeTenure lengthDeputy Leader(s)Chair
1Catherine Blaiklock
20 January 201920 March 2019VacantRichard Tice (2019–2024)
Zia Yusuf (2024–present)
2Nigel Farage
22 March 2019[168] 6 March 2021
3Richard Tice
6 March 20213 June 2024David Bull (2021–2023)
Ben Habib (2023–2024)
Richard Tice (2024–present)
(2)Nigel Farage
3 June 2024Incumbent

Frontbench as the Brexit Party

As well as the leader and chairman, other leadership roles were assigned to Brian Monteith as Chief Whip in the European Parliament (before Brexit)[169] and David Bull as health spokesperson during the 2019 election.[170]

Frontbench as Reform UK

On 20 March 2023, Richard Tice, then leader, held a press conference to announce Reform UK's first frontbench team.[171] The roles were as follows:

PortfolioSpokespersonTermNotes
LeaderNigel Farage3 June 2024 – presentMP for Clacton
Energy and Foreign PolicyRichard Tice20 March 2023 – presentAlso Deputy Leader and MP for Boston and Skegness
HealthDavid Bull20 March 2023 – 12 July 2024
Brexit and the UnionBen Habib20 March 2023 – 12 July 2024
Immigration and JusticeAnn Widdecombe20 March 2023 – present
Business and AgricultureRupert Lowe20 March 2023 – presentMP for Great Yarmouth
Chief Whip in the House of CommonsLee Anderson[172] 9 July 2024 – presentMP for Ashfield
Defence and National SecurityFrederick Chedham20 March 2023 – 18 June 2024[173]
Education and the FamilyBelinda de Lucy20 March 2023 – 12 July 2024
CultureAlex Phillips20 March 2023 – 12 July 2024
FisheriesJune Mummery20 March 2023 – 12 July 2024

In January 2021, former Conservative and then independent MSP Michelle Ballantyne joined the party and assumed the role of Leader of Reform UK Scotland.[174] She resigned this role in February 2022, and was replaced by Martyn Greene.

Elections

See main article: Brexit Party election results.

2019 European Parliament election as the Brexit Party

See also: 2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom. The Brexit Party stood candidates in Great Britain at the 2019 European Parliament election, including the former Conservative Party Minister of State, Ann Widdecombe,[175] the journalist, Annunziata Rees-Mogg (a former Conservative general election candidate and the sister of the Conservative MP and Brexit advocate, Jacob Rees-Mogg), the Leave Means Leave co-founder, Richard Tice,[176] the writers, Claire Fox and James Heartfield (both once part of the Revolutionary Communist Party and later writers for Spiked),[177] [178] Stuart Waiton (a fellow Spiked contributor)[179] [180] James Glancy, a former member of the Royal Marines and the Special Boat Service who was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross,[181] Martin Daubney, a journalist and commentator,[182] David Bull, author and television presenter,[183] Brian Monteith, a former Conservative Party MSP, Rupert Lowe, a businessman[184] and retired Rear Admiral Roger Lane-Nott.[185] John Longworth, the former director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, announced he would be standing as a candidate for the party on 15 April 2019.[186] The party was not registered in Northern Ireland and did not field candidates there.[187]

A survey of 781 Conservative Party councillors found that 40% planned to vote for the Brexit Party.[188] On 17 April 2019, the former Labour and Respect Party MP George Galloway announced his support for the Brexit Party "for one-time only" in the 2019 European Parliament election.[189] On 24 April, the political columnist Tim Montgomerie announced that he would vote for the party and endorsed Widdecombe's candidature,[190] and the Conservative MP Lucy Allan described the candidates of the party as "fantastic".[191] On 2 May, one of the party's candidates for the North West constituency, Sally Bate, resigned from the party in response to previous comments made by Claire Fox, the lead candidate in the constituency, on the Warrington bomb attacks.[192]

In May 2019, several polls forecast the party polling first for the European elections,[193] though earlier polls had suggested it would come third to Labour and the Conservatives.[194] The party held 14 seats, acquired through defections, going into the elections, and saw an increase of 15. It won five more seats than UKIP, had at the previous election, under Farage's leadership,

The party won 29 seats in the election, becoming the biggest single party in the 9th European Parliament. The CDU/CSU Union also won 29 seats in Germany, but it was an alliance and not a party. Three of the 29 resigned the whip in December 2019 to support the Conservative Party at the 2019 general election, while a fourth, John Longworth, was expelled for "repeatedly undermining" the party's election strategy.[195]

The 29 MEPs elected were as follows:

!Name!Constituency!First elected!Notes
North West England23 May 2019Former Conservative general election candidate
East Midlands28 July 2017Former UKIP MEP; former Conservative general election and European Parliament candidate
West Midlands23 May 2019
South East England10 June 1999Leader of party; former UKIP MEP
London23 May 2019Resigned whip in December
North West England23 May 2019Former member of the Revolutionary Communist Party
Wales1 July 2014Former UKIP MEP and AM
South West England23 May 2019
London23 May 2019
Yorkshire and the Humber23 May 2019Resigned whip in December
East of England23 May 2019Former chairman of the UKIP youth wing, Young Independence
South West England23 May 2019
West Midlands23 May 2019
Yorkshire and the Humber23 May 2019Chairman of Leave Means Leave (resigned whip in December)
West Midlands23 May 2019Former Referendum Party general election candidate
South East England23 May 2019Campaigner for Leave Means Leave and Ladies for Leave
North East England23 May 2019Former Conservative MSP
East of England23 May 2019Campaigner for Fishing for Leave
North West England23 May 2019Co-chairman of the "No" campaign in the 1992 Danish referendum on the Maastricht Treaty
East Midlands23 May 2019
South East England23 May 2019Former UKIP Head of Media
Yorkshire and the Humber23 May 2019Former member of the Referendum Party
East Midlands23 May 2019Former Conservative general election candidate; resigned whip in December
South East England23 May 2019
Scotland23 May 2019Resigned whip in November
North East England23 May 2019Former UKIP councillor, current Independent Union party leader and councillor
East of England23 May 2019Co-chairman of Leave Means Leave and co-founder of Leave.EU
Wales23 May 2019Former Conservative
South West England23 May 2019Former Conservative MP and Minister of State

2019 general election

On April 19 Farage said that the party intended to stand candidates at the 2019 general election,[196] but would not to stand candidates against the 28 Eurosceptic Conservative MPs who opposed the Brexit withdrawal agreement.[197] In the Peterborough by-election in June, the Brexit Party came second with 28% of the vote, 7% ahead of the Conservatives and 2% behind Labour.

Following Boris Johnson's election as Prime Minister, Farage unveiled the names of 635 general election candidates for the Brexit Party, including himself.[198] On 8 September 2019, Farage wrote an article in the Sunday Telegraph and the party took out advertisements in Sunday newspapers offering an electoral pact with the Conservative Party in the forthcoming general election, in which the Brexit Party would not be opposed by the Conservatives in traditional Labour Party seats in the north of England, the Midlands and Wales, and the Brexit Party would not contest seats in which they could split the Leave vote. Farage wrote that Boris Johnson should ask himself "does he want to sign a non-aggression pact with me and return to Downing Street?"[199]

Farage's proposition was rejected by Johnson.[200] Then on 11 November, Farage said that his party would not stand in any of the 317 seats won by the Conservatives at the last election. Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly welcomed this, although he stated that the parties had not been in contact.[201] Newsnight reported that conversations between members of the Brexit Party and the pro-Brexit Conservative group, the European Research Group (ERG) had led to this decision.[202]

The Brexit Party is reported to have requested that Boris Johnson publicly state he would not extend the Brexit transition period beyond the planned date of 31 December 2020 and that he wished for a Canada-style free-trade agreement with the EU. Johnson did make a statement covering these two issues, something which Farage referenced as key when announcing he was standing down some candidates, but both the Brexit Party and the Conservatives denied that any deal was done between them.[203] [204] The decision to not run in those seats met with criticism by some Brexit Party supporters and candidates, and some candidates who had been selected to vie for Conservative seats opted to run as independent candidates on a Pro-Brexit platform.[205]

The party failed to win any seats in the general election.[40] Its best second places were in Barnsley Central, where Victoria Felton won 30.4% of the vote,[206] and Barnsley East, where Jim Ferguson won 29.2%.[207] High third places were in Hartlepool, where Richard Tice won 25.8% of the vote, and Hull West and Hessle, where Michelle Dewberry won 18%.[208]

2024 general election

On 22 May 2024, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the date of the general election as 4 July. The next day, leader Richard Tice launched the Reform UK campaign, promising to field candidates in 630 seats, and announced that he would be standing in Boston and Skegness.[209] He said that the party wanted to make this the “immigration election”.[210] Nigel Farage initially ruled out standing, saying that it was "not the right time" but promised to "do my bit to help".[211]

In the first week of the campaign, Reform UK's average predicted vote in opinion polls rose from 11% to 13%, although many commentators predicted their vote share would be squeezed[212] and the Conservatives announced policies targeted at Reform voters, such as national service.[213]

On 3 June, Farage became the leader of Reform UK. Following this, opinion pollsters reported an increase in support for the party, in two cases polling within 2% of the Conservative Party.[214] BBC political analyst Peter Barnes commented on 9 June that the change in leadership "has clearly had a positive impact on the party's performance in the polls," and that this "has come at the expense of the Conservatives."[215] A poll of 1,000 viewers conducted after the BBC's seven-party debate held on 7 June found Farage to be the winner with 25% support, his closest rival being Labour Party deputy leader Angela Rayner, on 19%. The debate majored on D-Day, war veterans, immigration and the NHS.[216]

Farage said that his aim was to make Reform the Official Opposition party in Parliament.[217] Reform would be standing in 609 out of 650 constituencies (all in Great Britain).[218] As part of an electoral pact with the Social Democratic Party, the two parties stood aside from each other in six constituencies and over a dozen candidates stood under a joint Reform-SDP banner.[219]

On 10 June, the Reform UK candidate for Bexhill and Battle, Ian Gribbin, was reported as having said in 2022 that: "Britain would be in a far better state today had we taken Hitler up on his offer of neutrality." Following these reports, Gribbin stated that he apologised without reservation for the comment and any upset caused.[220] A party spokesman defended Gribbin by saying that "his historical perspective of what the UK could have done in the 30s was shared by the vast majority of the British establishment including the BBC of its day, and is probably true," that the comments made by Gribbin were not endorsements of the stances and that the party would continue to support him.[221] [222] The Times reported on 13 June that 41 of the Reform UK candidates for the 2024 general election were Facebook friends with the British neo-fascist Gary Raikes.[223]

After a number of revelations about the party’s prospective parliamentary candidates,[224] Farage said on 18 June that the party had hired a vetting company, but had been "stitched up" by them. The company, vetting.com, responded that there had not been sufficient time to complete their work, the election having been called earlier than expected.

In the campaign, the party used the slogan "Britain Needs Reform".[225] Its party election video, broadcast nationally on 13 June, showed silently and continuously for 4 minutes and 40 seconds the six words "Britain is Broken. Britain Needs Reform."[226]

On 13 June, YouGov polling put Reform at 19% and the Conservatives 18%. Farage declared "We are now the opposition to Labour."[227]

On 15 June, the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg said that "the most optimistic Reform politicians can't name more than five or six seats where they reckon they could win."[228] On the same day, opinion pollsters Survation published the results of a survey of 42,269 voters employing multilevel regression with poststratification (MRP) which predicted that Reform would win seven seats: Ashfield, Clacton, Exmouth and Exeter East, Great Yarmouth, Mid Leicestershire, North West Norfolk, and South Suffolk.[229] On 19 June, YouGov's MRP survey of 36,161 adults predicted five seat wins: Ashfield, Basildon and Billericay, Clacton, Great Yarmouth, and Louth and Horncastle.[230]

On 20 June, the BBC reported that while Farage has been criticised by some Muslim organisations for saying that a growing number of young Muslims do not subscribe to British values, Muslim entrepreneur Zia Jusuf had just given the party a donation amounting to hundreds of thousands of pounds and said that the country has lost control of its borders. He said that it was his "patriotic duty" to fund Farage and Reform UK.[231]

Farage was criticised during the campaign for suggesting that the West had provoked Russia's invasion of Ukraine by expanding the European Union and Nato military alliance eastwards. Farage also said that "of course" the war was the fault of Vladimir Putin.[232]

On 27 June, Channel 4 News revealed alleged homophobic, racist and Islamophobic comments made by some party campaigners in Clacton,[233] [234] including an individual calling Rishi Sunak a "Paki" (a racist slur against those of South Asian heritage in the UK),[235] and suggesting the army should shoot at small boats bringing illegal migrants to the UK,[234] and another campaigner calling the LGBT flag "degenerate". Sunak responded that hearing the racist slur against him "hurts and it makes me angry".[236] [237] [238] Farage described the anti-gay comments as "vulgar, drunk and wrong"[239] and condemned the other individual's racist comments, before suggesting that the programme was a "set up" by Channel 4, as the individual who made the racist slur against Sunak, Andrew Parker, was an actor and that it eluded to foul play. The party later said it had made a complaint against Channel 4 for "electoral interference" over the broadcast,[240] although reports on 28 June suggested the Electoral Commission had not received such a complaint from Reform.[241]

Channel 4 commented: "We met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser. We did not pay the Reform UK canvasser or anyone else in this report. Mr Parker was not known to Channel 4 News and was filmed covertly via the undercover operation."[242] Following the report, Reform UK dropped its support for three election candidates due to past racist comments, and on 30 June, one candidate defected to the Conservatives over a perceived lack of leadership from Reform on the issue.[243] [244]

Local government

The party first stood at local government level in two by-elections in Gloucester on 25 July 2019.[245] They did not win either.[246]

A councillor elected to Rochdale defected to the party in July 2019 from Labour, making for the first councillor;[247] [248] shortly after a Liberal Democrat councillor there also defected.[249] All 12 of Rotherham's then UKIP councillors defected to the Brexit Party in July 2019, as did all 5 of Derby's UKIP councillors.[250] [251] On 13 September 2019, ten independent councillors on Hartlepool Borough Council defected to the Brexit Party. They then formed a pact with the three Conservatives to hold 13 of the 33 seats.[252] In September 2019, a Conservative councillor for Surrey (county) and Elmbridge (borough) defected to the party, after his party decided he would not be reselected.[253]

The 13 councillors of the Hartlepool council group left the party in 2020.[254] The Rotherham group left to form the Rotherham Democratic Party.[255] [256] The party won two seats in the 2021 United Kingdom local elections, both in Derby, one a hold from a previous defection and the other a gain. These were the first council seats won at election by the party, as all their previous ones had been via defections.[257] [258] This left them with eight councillors in total; six in Derby and two more from defections, one in Redbridge from the Conservatives, and one in Swale from UKIP, both in April 2021.[259] [260] Councillors in the Derby City group are members of an affiliate party named "Reform Derby", in alignment with Reform UK.[261] [262]

In December 2021, days before the North Shropshire by-election, local councillor and Deputy Mayor of Market Drayton Town Council, Mark Whittle, defected to the party from the Conservatives.[263] It was reported that all of Reform UK's candidates in the 2022 United Kingdom local elections "will campaign on the benefits of fracking and restarting exploration in the North Sea".[264] Three of the eight council seats held by the party were up for re-election in 2022, all of which had arisen from defections. Both Derby seats were held, but a seat in Redbridge was lost. No new seats were gained.[265]

In December 2022, two former Conservative councillors – one in Barnsley and the other in West Oxfordshire – defected to the party.[266] Another Conservative councillor, Barry Gwilt, of the Fazeley on Lichfield District Council, defected to Reform UK in January 2023.[267] In the 2023 United Kingdom local elections, Reform UK won six seats out of the 8,519 up for election[268] and averaged 6% of the vote in the wards where it stood.[269] The six seats won were all in the City of Derby, whose new council proceeded to elect Reform Derby leader Alan Graves to the position of Mayor for 2023/24.[270]

In March 2024, East Riding of Yorkshire councillor Maria Bowtell defected from the Conservatives and joined the party.[271] In the 2024 English local elections Reform UK took approximately 11% of the vote where it stood candidates,[272] and won two seats on Havant Borough Council[273] and one on the London Assembly. Richard Tice claimed that his party was becoming the real opposition to Labour.[274] On 18 June, four Conservatives from the Tendring District Council defected to Reform with Jeff Bray becoming leader of the council group.[275] [276]

Senedd elections

Regional vote! colspan="3"
Constituency voteOverall seatsChange
202111,730 votes1.1%17,405 votes1.6%New Party

Scottish Parliament elections

Regional vote! colspan="3"
Constituency voteOverall seatsChange
20215,793 votes0.2%––New Party

London Assembly elections

Regional vote! colspan="3"
Constituency voteOverall seats±
202125,009 votes1.0%62,263 votes2.4%New Party
2024145,409 votes5.9%188,420 votes7.4%1

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. News: Boscia . Stefan . 27 April 2023 . Trump who? Farage's party cozies up to DeSantis as White House hopeful lands in UK . Politico . 27 April 2023.
  2. News: Gibbons . Amy . 8 July 2024 . Reform UK reaches 65,000 members – up nearly two thirds in a month . The Daily Telegraph.
  3. Web site: Reform Derby – Change Politics for Good.
  4. Web site: View registration – the Electoral Commission.
  5. Web site: Open Council Data UK . 15 February 2024 . 15 February 2024 . 15 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240215150255/http://opencouncildata.co.uk/councillors.php?p=459&y=0 . live.
  6. Web site: Chen . Cathy . 2024-07-05 . Meet Reform UK's five new MPs . 2024-07-05 . inews.co.uk . en.
  7. Web site: Party registration decisions . electoralcommission.org.uk . 6 January 2021 . 16 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210316001918/https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/party-registration-applications/party-registration-decisions . live.
  8. Web site: All of Farage's Reform UK pledges on immigration – and how the Tories compare. 14 June 2024. i (newspaper).
  9. News: Curtice . John . 16 February 2024 . John Curtice: By-election results leave Tories with mountain to climb . 7 May 2024 . BBC News.
  10. News: Tories fear Nigel Farage and Reform UK could deliver a red wall rout. Geraldine . Scott . The Times. 13 December 2022. 14 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221214024012/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tories-fear-nigel-farage-and-reform-uk-could-deliver-a-red-wall-rout-v0r9pnjt6. live.
  11. Matthew Goodwin and Caitlin Milazzo (2015), UKIP: Inside the Campaign to Redraw the Map of British Politics, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 126.
  12. Matt Reed (2016), "'This Loopy Idea': An Analysis of UKIP's Social Media Discourse in Relation to Rurality and Climate Change", Space and Polity, 20(2), pp. 226–241.
  13. News: Rees-Mogg elected Brexit Party MEP . 31 May 2019 . 27 May 2019 . BBC News . 31 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210131194426/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-48417689 . live.
  14. Web site: Could Farage's 'Reform Party' carve him a new role in post-Brexit British politics. ConservativeHome. 25 November 2019. 12 May 2020. 19 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210519132113/https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2019/11/could-farages-reform-party-carve-him-a-new-role-in-post-brexit-british-politics.html. live.
  15. Web site: General election 2019: Farage promises Reform Party after Brexit. BBC News. 8 December 2019. 12 May 2020. 22 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210822052107/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50704706. live.
  16. Web site: Nigel Farage planning to launch new political party. The New European. 6 March 2020. 12 May 2020. 10 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200810024039/https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/nigel-farage-plans-to-launch-reform-party-1-6548653. dead.
  17. News: Reform UK: Brexit party to rebrand as anti-lockdown voice. Clea. Skopeliti. 2 November 2020. The Guardian. 2 November 2020. 18 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210418212915/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/02/reform-uk-brexit-party-to-rebrand-as-anti-lockdown-voice. live.
  18. News: Nigel Farage: Brexit Party to focus on fighting lockdown. 2 November 2020. BBC News. 2 November 2020. 6 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210506124317/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-54777346. live.
  19. News: 11 March 2024 . Lee Anderson: Ex-Tory MP defects to Reform UK . 11 March 2024 . BBC News.
  20. Web site: Nigel Farage confirms he WILL stand for Reform in election as he becomes party leader. 3 June 2024. The National.
  21. Web site: The Brexit Party Limited . Companies House . 20 May 2019 . 22 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200922081821/https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/11694875 . live.
  22. Web site: Catherine Blaiklock appointed as Economics Spokesman. 12 September 2018. UK Independence Party. 15 February 2019. 15 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190215215645/https://www.ukip.org/national-ukip-news-item.php?id=62. dead.
  23. News: The new Ukip? Nigel Farage offers 'full support' for another Brexit party . Irish Independent . Dublin . 20 January 2019 . [..] former UKIP economics spokeswoman Catherine Blaiklock applied to register the new party last week and she sounded out Mr. Farage for a role in the organisation. He told the paper: "This was Catherine's idea entirely – but she has done this with my full knowledge and my full support. . 30 January 2019 . 2 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210202070321/https://www.independent.ie/business/brexit/the-new-ukip-nigel-farage-offers-full-support-for-another-brexit-party-37729406.html . live.
    • Web site: Changes to the registers of political parties made since 27 January 2019: The Brexit Party. Electoral Commission. 5 February 2019. 9 February 2019. 21 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190421185402/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/252526/GB-and-NI-political-register-updates-since-27-01-2019.pdf. live.
    • Web site: Brexit Party: Registration Details . Electoral Commission . 16 February 2019 . 11 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190511043518/http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP7931 . live .
    • Web site: New 'Brexit Party' backed by Nigel Farage launches . . 8 February 2019 . Jim Pickard . A new political party backed by Nigel Farage has been launched in an attempt to attract hardline Conservative activists unhappy with Theresa May’s attempt to forge a compromise Brexit plan. . 9 February 2019 . 9 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190209123736/https://www.ft.com/content/d3197116-2bcf-11e9-a5ab-ff8ef2b976c7 . live.
  25. News: Bruce . Andy . Farage ready to be new 'Brexit Party' candidate if EU exit delayed . Reuters . 8 February 2019 . 8 February 2019 . A filing by the Electoral Commission showed the Brexit Party had been approved this week to field candidates across England, Scotland and Wales. . 27 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200727051932/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-farage-idUKKCN1PX1Y5 . live .
  26. News: Farage . Nigel . Nigel Farage . My new Brexit party stands ready to defend democracy . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/02/08/new-brexit-party-stands-ready-defend-democracy/ . 12 January 2022 . subscription . live . The Daily Telegraph . 8 February 2019.
  27. Emily Maitlis (presenter), Owen Jones (guest), Steven Woolfe (guest) and John McTernan (guest) . Discussion: Nigel Farage launches new 'Brexit' party . . 8 February 2019 . . 9 February 2019 . 2 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210202144001/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p070d77m . live .
  28. News: Nathan Gill set to join Nigel Farage's Brexit party . BBC News . 10 February 2019 . 10 February 2019 . 3 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210303105202/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-47183976 . live .
  29. News: Daily Express. Steven Woolfe reveals why he was rejected from the Brexit Party – 'Slightly disappointing'. 7 August 2019.
  30. News: Hope . Christopher . New Brexit party has more than £1m in pledges and slate of over 200 candidates, including Nigel Farage . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/02/01/new-brexit-party-has-1m-pledges-slate-200-candidates-including/ . 12 January 2022 . subscription . live . The Daily Telegraph . 1 February 2019 . 1 February 2019.
  31. News: Walker . Peter . Leader of Nigel Farage's party resigns over anti-Islam messages . The Guardian . 20 March 2019 . 20 March 2019 . 19 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210819180744/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/20/leader-of-pro-brexit-party-catherine-blaiklock-resigns-over-anti-islam-messages . live .
  32. News: Casalicchio . Emilio . Nigel Farage will lead new Brexit party as founding boss quits over anti-Islam tweets . PoliticsHome . 22 March 2019 . 22 March 2019 . 15 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191215000335/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/uk-independence-party/nigel-farage/news/102725/nigel-farage-will-lead-new . live .
  33. News: Bloom . Dan . Nigel Farage declares he'll be Brexit Party leader after boss quits in storm . Daily Mirror . 22 March 2019 . 22 March 2019 . 2 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210202072348/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-nigel-farage-declares-hell-14171386 . live .
  34. News: Seth . Jacobson . Nigel Farage says Brexit party won't take money from Arron Banks . The Guardian . 12 April 2019 . 12 April 2019 . 13 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201113173430/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/12/former-ukip-leader-nigel-farage-says-his-brexit-party-wont-take-money-from-arron-banks . live .
  35. News: Walker . Peter . Brexit party official removed after antisemitic posts . 3 April 2019 . The Guardian . 3 April 2019 . 19 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210819180754/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/apr/03/brexit-party-official-removed-after-antisemitic-posts . live .
  36. Web site: Farage: May deceiving public over deal. 12 May 2019. BBC News. 13 May 2019. 13 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190513171248/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-48244917. live.
  37. https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/brexit-party-has-no-policies-1-6011379 "Nigel Farage REFUSES to publish a Brexit Party manifesto until after EU elections"
  38. Sebastian Payne, "Pressure mounts on Theresa May to quit as Tory support collapses", Financial Times, 13 May 2019.
  40. News: 'I killed the Lib Dems and hurt Labour' – Farage . BBC News . 13 December 2019 . 25 December 2019 . 5 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211005120723/https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50766123 . live .
  41. News: Farage promises Reform Party after Brexit . BBC News . 8 December 2019 . 8 December 2019 . 31 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210131075556/https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50704706 . live .
  42. Web site: Amante . Angelo . Italexit! Popular senator launches party to take Italy out of EU . Reuters . 21 July 2020 . 21 July 2020 . 13 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210413152449/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-politics-italexit/italexit-popular-senator-launches-party-to-take-italy-out-of-eu-idUSKCN24M1N8 . live .
  43. Web site: It's time: From Brexit to Reform UK . ReformUK: The Brexit Party . 2 December 2020 . Our party of Reform is the only political party that supports the Great Barrington Declaration. . 6 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210506074754/https://www.thebrexitparty.org/reformuk/ . dead .
  44. Web site: Party registration decisions . The Electoral Commission . 6 January 2021 . 16 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210316001918/https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/party-registration-applications/party-registration-decisions . live.
  45. News: Michelle Ballantyne: Former Scottish Conservative MSP joins Nigel Farage's Reform UK . Sky News . 11 January 2021 . 13 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210613162917/https://news.sky.com/story/michelle-ballantyne-former-scottish-conservative-msp-joins-nigel-farages-reform-uk-12185085 . live .
  46. News: Garton-Crosbie . Abbi . 16 February 2022 . Reform Party: Michelle Ballantyne quits as Scottish leader . The National . 9 May 2022 . 9 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220509174042/https://www.thenational.scot/news/19928649.reform-party-michelle-ballantyne-quits-scottish-leader/ . live .
  47. News: Rodger . Hannah . 16 February 2022 . Leader of Scotland's Reform UK party Michelle Ballantyne quits after a year . The Herald . 9 May 2022 . 9 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220509175544/https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19928340.leader-scotlands-reform-uk-party-michelle-ballantyne-quits-year/ . live .
  48. Web site: Nigel Farage: Brexit-backing politician to quit as leader of Reform UK . BBC News . 6 March 2021 . 6 March 2021 . 19 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211019090525/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-56311599 . live .
  49. Web site: We are delighted to announce Dr David Bull as the new Deputy Leader of Reform UK! . . 11 March 2021 . 5 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210505044259/https://www.facebook.com/TheReformPartyUK/posts/757565695128197 . live .
  50. Web site: Results 2021 . 18 May 2021 . London Elects.
  51. After almost a quarter of a century of one party rule it's time to reform Wales Nathan was a leading figure in the fight to ensure UK laws are created by politicians accountable to us Now it's time to reform those laws @NathanGillMEP #Senedd21 #Wales2021 #ReformUK. reformukwales. 1375379315144196097. 26 March 2021. 26 March 2021.
  52. News: Reform Party leader Richard Tice to run for London Assembly. Murphy. Joe. 30 March 2021. 11 April 2021. 11 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210411201256/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/reform-party-leader-richard-tice-london-assembly-b927086.html. live.
  53. News: Welsh Parliament election 2021: North Wales regional candidates. 10 April 2021. BBC News. 11 April 2021. 11 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210411201248/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-56570104. live.
  54. News: Scottish Parliament Election 2021: South Scotland and Lothian regional list candidates announced. East Lothian Courier. 1 April 2021. 11 April 2021. 11 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210411201257/https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/19204329.scottish-parliament-election-2021-south-scotland-lothian-regional-list-candidates-announced/. live.
  55. Web site: London Mayor. BBC. 9 May 2021. 19 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211019023005/https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/c27kz1m3j9mt/london-elections-2021. live.
  56. News: Elections 2021: Conservatives hail historic Labour defeat in Hartlepool by-election . BBC News . 9 May 2021 . 30 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210830172600/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57019456 . live .
  57. News: Welsh Parliament election 2021 . BBC News . 9 May 2021 . 9 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211009132408/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cqwn14k92zwt/welsh-parliament-election-2021 . live .
  58. News: Scottish Parliament election 2021 . BBC News . 9 May 2021 . 11 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211011204736/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c37d28xdn99t/scottish-parliament-election-2021 . live .
  59. Web site: 9 May 2021. Results 2021. 9 May 2021. London Elects. en-GB. 17 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210817051855/https://www.londonelects.org.uk/im-voter/election-results/results-2021. live.
  60. Web site: London Assembly. BBC. 9 May 2021. 16 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210916100443/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c27kz1m3j9mt/london-elections-2021#london-assembly. live.
  61. reformparty_uk . Reform UK . 1583488630064283649 . Reform UK & SDP Agree General Election Pact . 22 October 2022 . en.
  62. Web site: Reform UK and SDP agree general election pact . SDP . 22 October 2022 . 23 October 2022 . 22 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221022144652/https://sdp.org.uk/2022/10/22/reform-uk-and-sdp-agree-general-election-pact/ . live .
  63. Web site: Nigel Farage rules out standing for Reform UK in general election . BBC . 23 May 2024 . 23 May 2024 .
  64. Web site: 8 December 2022 . Barnsley councillor resigns from Conservatives to join Farage's Reform party . 8 December 2022 . . en . 8 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221208173824/https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/politics/barnsley-councillor-resigns-from-conservatives-to-join-reform-party-3946989 . live .
  65. Web site: 8 December 2022 . Candidates announced for Witney and Barnsley! . 9 December 2022 . reformparty.uk . en . 9 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209021355/https://www.reformparty.uk/candidates_announced_for_witney_and_barnsley . live .
  66. Web site: I didn't spend 25 years battling for Brexit only to watch the Tories give it away . The Daily Telegraph . 24 November 2022 . 5 February 2023 . 16 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221216135300/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/24/no-deals-tories-reform-uk-will-field-full-slate-candidates-next/ . live .
  67. Web site: Blow for Sunak as poll shows Tory voters 'turning to Reform UK' . The Daily Telegraph . 2 December 2022 . 5 February 2023 . 16 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221216135258/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/12/01/rishi-sunak-latest-news-keir-starmer-nicola-sturgeon-chester/ . live .
  68. Web site: Can the Tories survive a Right-wing insurgency?. John. Oxley. 15 December 2022. UnHerd. 16 December 2022. 16 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221216135259/https://unherd.com/2022/12/can-the-tories-survive-a-right-wing-insurgency/. live.
  69. Web site: Reform UK 'polling at almost half of Tory vote share' – live updates . The Daily Telegraph . 9 December 2022 . 5 February 2023 . 16 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221216135301/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/12/09/rishi-sunak-news-strikes-tories-asylum-starmer-labour/ . live .
  70. News: Wheeler . Brian . 3 October 2023 . Tories imitating our policies, says Reform UK leader Richard Tice . BBC News . 26 October 2023.
  71. News: Tice . Richard . 20 October 2023 . Reform UK will stand in every seat – and make sure the Tories lose . en-GB . The Telegraph . 22 October 2023 . 0307-1235.
  72. Web site: 'Done with Labour and the Tories': Reform UK attracts angry voters . 12 January 2024 . Luke . Tryl . .
  73. News: 16 March 2024 . TUV conference: Jim Allister announces partnership with Reform UK . 16 March 2024 . BBC News.
  74. Web site: 8 April 2024 . UK party leader warns over social media use after alcohol . . en.
  75. News: Adu . Aletha . 8 April 2024 . Reform UK says it published candidates list early so media could help vet it . 9 April 2024 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  76. Web site: Reform UK sack candidate who said Scotland is a 'turd that won't flush' . 22 March 2024 . 19 April 2024 . 22 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240322122158/https://www.thenational.scot/news/24203053.reform-uk-sack-candidate-said-scotland-turd-wont-flush/ . live .
  77. News: Reform UK drops two more election candidates over racist comments. The Guardian. 3 April 2024. 3 April 2024. 3 April 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240403200733/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/03/reform-uk-drops-two-more-election-candidates-over-racist-comments. live.
  78. Web site: Ex-Reform UK candidate decries Ashkenazi Jews, had Holocaust denial on blog. The Jerusalem Post. 7 April 2024. 24 April 2024. 7 April 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240407132252/https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-795766. live.
  79. Web site: London Elects Results 2024 . londonelects.org.uk . London Elects . 6 May 2024.
  80. Web site: Quinn . Ben . Crerar . Pippa . Courea . Eleni . Nigel Farage to stand for Reform UK in general election U-turn . The Guardian . 3 June 2024 . 8 June 2024.
  81. News: TUV leader Jim Allister unseats Ian Paisley in shock victory in North Antrim . The Belfast News Letter. 5 July 2024 . 5 July 2024.
  82. Web site: Entrepreneur Yusuf replaces Tice as Reform chairman . BBC News . 2024-07-11 . 2024-07-12 .
  83. Web site: Reform UK is ready to make electoral history . Yahoo/Telegraph . 2024-07-11 . 2024-07-12 .
  84. News: 11 March 2024 . Ex-Tory MP Lee Anderson defects to Reform . 11 March 2024 . BBC News.
  85. Web site: Nigel Farage elected as an MP for first time on night of breakthrough for Reform UK . 2024-07-05 . Sky News . en.
  86. Web site: Rachel Reeves is first female chancellor and Angela Rayner made deputy PM . 2024-07-05 . BBC News . en-GB.
  87. Web site: Register of MEPs: European Freedom and Democracy Group . European Parliament . 15 February 2019 . 16 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190216035242/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/search/advanced?name=&groupCode=4276&countryCode=GB&constituency=&bodyType=ALL . live .
  88. Web site: EU elections: The full list of MEP candidates . Holly . Pyne . 24 April 2019 . Talk Radio . Wireless Group . 12 May 2019 . 27 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190427092914/https://talkradio.co.uk/features/eu-elections-full-list-mep-candidates-19042430794 . live .
  89. News: The UK's European elections 2019 . 27 May 2019 . BBC News . 29 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190429002937/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/crjeqkdevwvt/the-uks-european-elections-2019 . live .
  90. Web site: European elections 2019: Brexit Party dominates as Tories and Labour suffer . BBC . 28 May 2019 . 9 June 2024 .
  91. News: Brexit Party kicked out MEP for 'unacceptable' behaviour, says Nigel Farage . Sky News . 30 September 2019 . 16 November 2019 . 23 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191123020411/https://news.sky.com/story/brexit-party-kicked-out-mep-for-unacceptable-behaviour-says-nigel-farage-11822555 . live .
  92. Web site: Fresh blow for Nigel Farage as Scotland's only Brexit Party MEP quits. 19 November 2019. PoliticsHome.com. 22 November 2019. 20 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191120154557/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/news/108075/fresh-blow-nigel-farage-scotlands-only-brexit-party-mep-quits. live.
  93. News: Brexit Party: Nigel Farage says four AMs to form group . BBC News . 3 May 2019 . 16 May 2019 . 15 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190515212521/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-48275830 . live .
  94. News: Four Welsh Assembly Members in talks to join Nigel Farage's Brexit Party . Shipton . Martin . 11 May 2019 . Wales Online . 12 May 2019 . 17 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221117201711/https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/nigel-farage-brexit-party-politics-16261383 . live .
  95. Web site: Eich Aelodau o'r Senedd . busnes.senedd.cymru . 18 August 2020 . cy . 13 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200813203814/https://busnes.senedd.cymru/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=PARTY&VW=LIST&PIC=0 . live .
  96. News: Williams. James. 12 July 2020. Brexit Party will campaign to scrap the Senedd. en-GB. BBC News. 18 August 2020. 3 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200803154942/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-53371014. live.
  97. News: 18 August 2020. Brexit Party politician quits Senedd group. en-GB. BBC News. 18 August 2020. 17 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201017110109/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-53825225. live.
  98. News: 16 October 2020. Brexit Party members of Welsh Parliament join new Senedd group. en-GB. BBC News. 16 October 2020. 19 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201019102348/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-54568369. live.
  99. News: 19 October 2020. Mark Reckless quits Brexit Party to joins Senedd abolition party. en-GB. BBC News. 19 October 2020. 22 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201022113720/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-54598135. live.
  100. https://manifesto.deryn.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Reform-UK-Wales-Senedd-2021-Contract-with-the-People-of-Wales-2.pdf Reform UK (2021). Senedd 2021 Contract with the People of Wales
  101. Web site: Welsh elections. BBC. 8 May 2021. 9 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211009132408/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cqwn14k92zwt/welsh-parliament-election-2021. live.
  102. Web site: MSP Michelle Ballantyne quits Scottish Tories . BBC News . 24 November 2020 . 25 November 2020 . 24 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201124183136/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-55062789 . live .
  103. News: Macnab . Scott . Ex-Tory MSP Michelle Ballantyne appointed Scots leader of Reform UK . 11 January 2021 . The Scotsman . 11 January 2021 . 11 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210111115427/https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/ex-tory-msp-michelle-ballantyne-appointed-scots-leader-reform-uk-3091850 . live .
  104. Matthew Goodwin, "Are these the last gasps of our old political order?", UnHerd
  105. Zulianello. Mattia. April 2020. Varieties of Populist Parties and Party Systems in Europe: From State-of-the-Art to the Application of a Novel Classification Scheme to 66 Parties in 33 Countries. Government and Opposition. en. 55. 2. 327–347. 10.1017/gov.2019.21. 0017-257X. free. 11368/3001222. free.
  107. Book: Karine Tournier. From UKIP to Brexit: The Right-Wing Populist Surge in the UK. Karine Tournier-Sol. Marie Gayte. The Faces of Contemporary Populism in Western Europe and the US. Springer Nature. 2021. 9783030538897. https://books.google.com/books?id=Nh8SEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA17. 17.
  108. Book: Claudia Roberta Combei. Valeria Reggi. Appraisal, Sentiment and Emotion Analysis in Political Discourse: A Multimodal, Multi-method Approach. Taylor & Francis. 2024. 9781000989687.
  109. Book: Alistair Cole. Ian Stafford. Dominic Heinz. Democratic Decline? Civil society and trust in government. Paul Chaney. Ian Jones. Civil Society in an Age of Uncertainty: Institutions, Governance and Existential Challenges. Polity Press. 2022. 9781447353447. https://books.google.com/books?id=JKWTEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA152. 152.
  110. Zulianello. Mattia. 2019. Varieties of Populist Parties and Party Systems in Europe: From State-of-the-Art to the Application of a Novel Classification Scheme to 66 Parties in 33 Countries. Government and Opposition. 6. 9 October 2019. 16 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200816002402/https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/7CB95AE2CA7274D5F4716EC11708ACD8/S0017257X19000216a.pdf/varieties_of_populist_parties_and_party_systems_in_europe_from_stateoftheart_to_the_application_of_a_novel_classification_scheme_to_66_parties_in_33_countries.pdf. live.
  111. Book: Craig A. Lockard. Societies, Networks, and Transitions: A Global History. 2020. Cengage Learning. 978-0-357-36547-2. 774. 4 April 2022. 22 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230322195813/https://books.google.com/books?id=xW7LDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA774. live.
  112. Book: Paul Webb. Advanced Introduction to Party Systems. Edward Elgar Publishing. 2024. 9781035313297. 38.
  113. Book: Josefin Graef. Imagining Far-right Terrorism: Violence, Immigration, and the Nation State in Contemporary Western Europe. Routledge. 2022. 9781000534993. 2020.
  114. Book: Alan Waring . The New Authoritarianism Vol 3: A Risk Analysis of the Corporate/Radical-Right Axis . ibidem-Verlag . 2021 . 978-38-3821493-1 . Alan Waring . 38 . Corporate and Radical-Right Authoritarianism: A Fusion of Mutual Interests and Dark Money . https://books.google.com/books?id=yzxIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA38.
  115. Web site: Far-right Reform UK party hopes to capitalize on Conservatives' weakness . . 5 January 2024 . London . Cécile . Ducourtieux.
  116. Web site: BBC apologises for calling Reform UK 'far right' . Ben . Quinn . 19 March 2024 . The Guardian.
  117. Web site: It's a mistake to call Reform UK "far-right" . 21 March 2024 . Tim . Bale . Tim Bale . London School of Economics.
  118. Web site: Naughtie . Andrew . Reform UK: The right-wing party that could transform British politics . Euronews . 25 March 2024 . 4 April 2024.
  119. Web site: FOI 015-19 . 21 February 2019 . Electoral Commission . 19 May 2019 . 22 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230322195801/https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/media/5198 . live .
  120. Web site: Nigel Farage's startup politics. McTague. Tom. 18 May 2019. Politico. 20 May 2019. 20 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190520034345/https://www.politico.eu/article/nigel-farage-brexit-party-start-up-politics-eu-election/. live.
  121. Web site: If the Brexit Party wants further triumphs, Nigel Farage should drop its 'shrink the state' philosophy. brexitcentral.com. Patrick. O'Flynn. 27 May 2019. 28 May 2019. 28 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190528195723/https://brexitcentral.com/if-the-brexit-party-wants-further-triumphs-nigel-farage-should-drop-its-shrink-the-state-philosophy/. live.
  122. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGQ7o5gBVPQ&t=83 "Brexit Party vows to take on and represent Gibraltar's interests in Europe"
  123. Helen Pidd, "Brexit party plans 'John Lewis-style' rescue of British Steel", The Guardian, 4 June 2019
  124. brexitparty_uk. 1151846331348115456. 18 July 2019. Let's upgrade Britain's internet. The Brexit Party will use the money saved from scrapping HS2, cutting foreign aid and the £39bn to invest in free wifi on public transport. #InvestInTheRest.
  125. News: 2019-11-22 . Brexit Party: 12 key policies explained . 2024-08-03 . BBC News . en-GB.
  126. News: Brexit Party says it will scrap interest on tuition fees . BBC News . 30 June 2019 . 6 September 2019 . 19 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191119143936/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48819725 . live .
  127. News: The Brexit Party contract: The key pledges and quotes . ITV News . 22 November 2019 . 23 November 2019 . 22 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191122173747/https://www.itv.com/news/2019-11-22/the-brexit-partys-contract-at-a-glance/ . live .
  128. News: Brexit Party joins cross-party alliance for voting reform . BBC News . 2 July 2019 . 6 September 2019 . 6 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190906172700/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48847542 . live .
  129. News: Brexit Party: 12 key policies explained . BBC News . 22 November 2019 . 23 November 2019 . 25 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210725130927/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50515516 . live .
  130. Web site: Contract With The People (Manifesto). 24 November 2019. 23 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210523215814/https://www.thebrexitparty.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Contract-With-The-People.pdf. live.
  131. Web site: Anti-lockdown politics: A successful revival for Farage's right-wing populism?. University of Birmingham. 18 January 2021. 22 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122053020/https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/perspective/anti-lockdown-politics.aspx. live.
  132. News: 3 October 2021 . Reform UK conference: Richard Tice attacks 'high tax' Tories . BBC News . 4 October 2021 . 3 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211003180627/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58781447 . live .
  133. Web site: Farage vows to freeze immigration as he unveils Reform's core pledges . ITV News . 2024-06-17 . 2024-06-27 .
  134. Web site: Reform UK election pledges: 11 key policies analysed . BBC News . 2024-06-18 . 2024-06-27 .
  135. News: Brown . Faye . Baker . Tim . 12 June 2024 . Who are Reform UK, where did they come from and what are their policies? . Sky News . 27 June 2024.
  136. Web site: Oil and gas expansion is growth opportunity say Reform . BBC Scotland News . 2024-06-26 . 2024-06-27 .
  137. Web site: Reform UK manifesto: scrap net zero and reform planning . Local Government Chronicle . 2024-06-17 . 2024-06-17 .
  138. Web site: Reform UK's General Election manifesto at a glance . The Standard . 2024-06-17 . 2024-06-17 .
  139. Web site: Rodd . Harry . 2024-06-18 . The Reform UK manifesto: key promises . 2024-06-27 . Local Government Lawyer . en-gb.
  140. News: Langford . Eleanor . 17 June 2024 . All of Reform UK's general election manifesto pledges . i News . 27 June 2024.
  141. Web site: Comparing Party Manifestos on Transport . 2024-06-27 . Transport Action Network . en-GB.
  142. Web site: 3 infrastructure takeaways from Reform UK's 2024 election manifesto . Institution of Civil Engineers.
  143. Web site: Reform UK launches its 'contract' ahead of general election Logistics UK . 2024-06-27 . logistics.org.uk.
  144. Web site: Reform's Nigel Farage pledges to 'revitalise' agriculture in General Election manifesto . Farmers Guardian . 2024-06-20 . 2024-06-27.
  145. Web site: Nigel Farage vows to kick EU fishermen out of UK waters in Reform bombshell . Fishery Nation . 2024-06-18 . 2024-06-27 .
  146. Web site: Manifestos outside the big two parties: Putting democracy on the agenda . Electoral Reform Society . 2024-06-19 . 2024-06-27 .
  147. Web site: 17 June 2024 . Reform UK manifesto: a reaction . 18 June 2024 . Institute for Fiscal Studies.
  148. News: Penna . Dominic . 2024-05-30 . Reform UK manifesto: Nigel Farage's key policies at a glance . 2024-06-15 . The Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.
  149. News: Narwan . Gurpreet . 22 June 2024 . Reform UK's tax plans disproportionately benefit high earners, analysis shows . Sky News . 27 June 2024.
  150. Web site: Register as a Supporter. The Brexit Party. 15 May 2019. 24 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190524234027/https://thebrexitparty.org/register/. dead.
  151. Web site: McTague . Tom . Nigel Farage's startup politics . Politico . 18 May 2019 . 29 October 2019 . 11 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190811170152/https://www.politico.eu/article/nigel-farage-brexit-party-start-up-politics-eu-election/ . live .
  152. News: Has the rise of the Brexit party blown away Ukip? . Peter Walker . . 12 May 2019 . 16 May 2019 . 16 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190516004023/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/15/farage-rise-of-brexit-party-ukip-european-election-polls . live .
  153. Web site: Become a Reform UK Member. Reform UK.
  154. News: Butler . Alexander . 4 June 2024 . Why Nigel Farage's Reform is a company and not a party - and what that means . 29 July 2024 . Independent.
  155. Web site: CP . 2024-06-24 . Critical Questions for Nigel Farage of the Reform Party AND the Conservative Party Chairman . 2024-07-28 . Conservative Post . en-GB.
  156. News: Former Conservative backer Jeremy Hosking revealed as £200,000 donor to Nigel Farage's Brexit Party. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/05/10/former-conservative-donor-jeremy-hosking-revealed-200000-donor/ . 12 January 2022 . subscription . live. Hope. Christopher. 10 May 2019. The Daily Telegraph. 10 May 2019. 0307-1235.
  157. News: Stone . Jon . Brexit Party: EU opens investigation into Nigel Farage's lavish gifts from millionaire tycoon . . 21 May 2019 . 21 May 2019 . 20 June 2022 . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220620/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-brexit-party-investigation-aaron-banks-eu-gifts-donations-funding-a8923961.html . live .
  158. News: EU to examine Farage over Arron Banks cash . BBC News . 21 May 2019 . 21 May 2019 . 21 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190521231304/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-48354209 . live .
  159. News: 6 March 2020 . A question of trust . Private Eye . 37 . 1517.
  160. Web site: Allegretti . Aubrey . Willoughby . George . What are Reform UK's policies . The Times & The Sunday Times . 12 March 2024 . 4 April 2024.
  161. News: Farage accuses watchdog of 'bad faith'. BBC News. 23 May 2019. 11 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190611094807/https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-politics-48357308/european-elections-2019-farage-accuses-watchdog-of-bad-faith. live.
  162. News: Watchdog reviewing Brexit Party funding . BBC News . 21 May 2019 . 23 May 2019 . 22 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190522112338/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-48337499 . live .
  163. Web site: Political parties and non-party campaigners accepting payments online . The Electoral Commission . 2019-07-12 . 2024-06-26 .
  164. Web site: Mason . Rowena . Reform UK reliant on leader Richard Tice for 80% of funding since 2021. 13 May 2024 . The Guardian . 13 May 2024.
  165. Web site: Reform UK membership grows 50% in week since Farage announces run for parliament . ITV News . 11 June 2023 . 11 June 2023 .
  166. News: Leader of Nigel Farage's party resigns over anti-Islam messages . The Guardian . 20 March 2019 . 20 March 2019 . Peter Walker . 19 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210819180744/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/20/leader-of-pro-brexit-party-catherine-blaiklock-resigns-over-anti-islam-messages . live .
  167. News: Stubley . Peter . Nigel Farage 'quits politics' after resigning as Reform UK party leader . The Independent . 6 March 2021 . 6 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210306215433/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-quits-politics-brexit-reform-party-b1813509.html . live .
  168. News: Nigel Farage says he will take over as leader of Brexit Party. i (newspaper). 12 October 2019. 12 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191012231930/https://inews.co.uk/news/nigel-farage-leader-brexit-party-ukip-505066. live.
  169. Web site: The Brexit Party's Chief Whip on Brexit campaign tactics . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200705201617/https://facts4eu.org/news/2019_nov_brexit_party . 5 July 2020 . 5 July 2020 . facts4eu.org.
  170. Web site: Medscape UK . Election 2019: Where Do the Parties Stand on Health? . 11 June 2024 . Medscape UK . en.
  171. Web site: Reform UK Departmental Team Responsibilities. Reform UK. March 2023. 15 June 2024.
  172. Web site: Daubney . Martin . 9 July 2024 . Lee Anderson Appointed Chief Whip. 9 July 2024 . Twitter.
  173. Web site: Chedham . Frederick . 18 June 2024 . A personal statement . 18 June 2024 . Twitter.
  174. News: 11 January 2021 . Former Tory MSP to lead Scots wing of rebranded Brexit Party . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209074426/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-55617824 . 9 December 2022 . 6 March 2021 . BBC News . en-GB.
  175. Web site: Ann Widdecombe to stand for Brexit Party . 24 April 2019 . 24 April 2019 . BBC News . 24 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190424074946/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-48034732 . live .
  176. News: Annunziata Rees-Mogg to stand as MEP for Farage's Brexit party . Josh . Halliday . 12 April 2019 . . 12 April 2019 . 12 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190412142615/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/12/annunziata-rees-mogg-to-stand-as-mep-for-farages-brexit-party . live .
    • News: Peter . Walker . Former communist standing as MEP for Farage's Brexit party . . 23 April 2019 . 6 May 2019 . 4 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190504014507/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/23/former-communist-claire-fox-standing-as-mep-for-farages-brexit-party . live .
    • News: Steven . Alexander . Farage plays down candidate's previous defence of IRA . . 6 May 2019 . 6 May 2019 . 6 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190506111946/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/farage-plays-down-candidates-previous-defence-of-ira-38081201.html . live .
    • JamesHeartfield/ . 1121719607671382018 . Glad to announce that I am contesting the Yorkshire and Humber constituency for the @brexitparty_uk in the European elections. . James . Heartfield . 26 April 2019 . 28 April 2019.
  178. Web site: Labour and No 10 blame each other for lack of progress in talks on Brexit compromise – as it happened . Andrew . Sparrow . Peter . Walker . Severin . Carrell . 23 April 2019 . 24 April 2019 . . 23 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190423235204/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2019/apr/23/brexit-latest-news-developments-theresa-may-chairs-cabinet-as-mps-return-to-commons-and-brexit-deadlock-continues-live-news . live .
  179. News: Who are the MEP candidates in Scotland? . 4 September 2019 . BBC News . 25 April 2019 . 20 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190620003507/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-48044192 . live .
  180. News: AstroTurfers of Britain Part Two: Who is Behind Brexit Party Recruitment and its PR Makeover? . 9 March 2020 . . 13 May 2019 . 14 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200214150640/https://bylinetimes.com/2019/05/13/astroturfers-of-britain-part-two-who-is-behind-brexit-party-recruitment-and-its-pr-makeover/ . live .
  181. News: European elections: Leave and Remain party candidates . Sam . Coates . 24 April 2019 . 24 April 2019 . . 24 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190424074820/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/european-elections-leave-and-remain-party-candidates-5txzr23c8 . live .
  182. News: He shot radioactive wolves, dropped acid – and now he backs Nigel Farage . 27 April 2019 . Anthony . Andrew . . 19 December 2020 . 18 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190818225337/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/27/martin-daubney-nigel-farage-brexit-party-radioactive-wolves . live .
  183. brexitparty_uk . 1121367753485635584 . Our latest candidate to be announced is @drdavidbull doctor, author and television presenter . 25 April 2019 . . 28 April 2019.
  184. Web site: European elections 2019: the full list of MEP candidates standing in next month's EU vote . Chloe . Chaplain . 28 April 2019 . i (newspaper) . 28 April 2019 . 26 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190426041042/https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/european-elections-2019-candidates-mep-who-standing-eu-vote-full-list/ . live .
  185. Web site: Vote in our EU elections poll as the Brexit row rumbles on . Graeme . Wilkinson . 29 April 2019 . Cornwall Live . 1 May 2019 . 1 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190501225832/https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/vote-eu-elections-poll-brexit-2811117 . live .
  186. News: Why I'm standing for the Brexit Party . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/04/14/standing-brexit-party/ . 12 January 2022 . subscription . live . John . Longworth . 14 April 2019 . The Daily Telegraph.
  187. Web site: Enniskillen bomb campaigner Aileen Quinton stands for Brexit Party at European election . Newsletter . 1 May 2019 . 21 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190521191710/https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/enniskillen-bomb-campaigner-aileen-quinton-stands-for-brexit-party-at-european-election-1-8910201 . live .
  188. News: Brexit: Labour must back another referendum – Tom Watson . BBC News . 21 April 2019 . 22 April 2019 . 22 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190422050701/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48000600 . live .
  190. Tim Montgomerie . montie . 1120990769307889664 . I'd intended to abstain in the European Elections but as a resident of Wiltshire (part of the SW Region) I'll now be voting for @brexitparty_uk. I have always admired Ann Widdecombe and May's failure to put her in the Lords was a travesty. I'll be voting Widders with enthusiasm. . 24 April 2019 . 15 May 2019.
  191. Web site: Tory MP hails Brexit Party candidates . 24 April 2019 . BBC News . 24 April 2019 . 24 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190424190604/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-shropshire-48040513 . live .
  192. Web site: Brexit Party candidate quits over colleague Claire Fox's 'ambiguous position' on IRA bombing . 2 May 2019 . Politics Home . 12 May 2019 . 4 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190504172657/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/news/103617/brexit-party-candidate-quits-over-colleague-claire-foxs . live .
  194. Web site: The 2019 European Parliamentary elections . Britain Elects . 11 April 2019 . 19 April 2019 . 19 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190419160536/http://britainelects.com/europarl19/ . dead.
  195. News: General election: Three Brexit Party MEPs quit to back Conservatives . . 5 December 2019 . 5 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191205104223/https://news.sky.com/story/general-election-four-brexit-party-meps-quit-to-back-conservatives-11878634 . live .
  196. Web site: Nigel Farage reveals Brexit Party will stand in next general election . 25 April 2019 . Evening Standard . Ella . Wills . 28 April 2019 . 28 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928213402/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/nigel-farage-reveals-brexit-party-will-stand-in-next-general-election-a4126831.html . live .
  197. News: Back Farage and be kicked out of party, Tories tell rebel MPs . Shipman . Tim . Tim Shipman . Wheeler . Caroline . 27 April 2019 . The Times . 28 April 2019 . Allardyce . Jason .
  198. Web site: 'No deal is the best deal': Nigel Farage unveils 635 Brexit Party election candidates. Aodha. Gráinne Ní. TheJournal.ie. 27 August 2019. 28 August 2019. 27 August 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190827150645/https://www.thejournal.ie/nigel-farage-brexit-party-general-election-4783792-Aug2019/. live.
  199. News: Conservatives should give Brexit Party free run at Labour seats, Farage says . ITV News . 8 September 2019 . 8 September 2019 . 8 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190908033113/https://www.itv.com/news/2019-09-08/conservatives-should-give-brexit-party-free-run-at-labour-seats-farage-says/ . live .
  200. Web site: Boris Johnson will reject Nigel Farage's election offer of a Brexit alliance pact. Business Insider France. 2 November 2019. 2 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191102184133/https://www.businessinsider.fr/us/why-johnson-will-reject-nigel-farages-leave-alliance-election-offer-2019-11/. live.
  201. News: Brexit Party rules out standing in Tory seats. BBC News. 11 November 2019. BBC. 13 November 2019. 11 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191111231641/https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50377396. live.
  202. Web site: BBC Two – Newsnight, 11/11/2019 . 24 November 2023 . BBC . en-GB.
  203. Web site: Maguire . Patrick . What Nigel Farage's withdrawal from Tory seats does and doesn't mean . New Statesman . 11 November 2019 . 13 November 2019 . 12 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191112202123/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2019/11/what-nigel-farages-withdrawal-tory-seats-does-and-doesnt-mean . live .
  204. Web site: Murphy. Joe. We won't stand aside for you in any seats, Johnson tells Farage. 12 November 2019. Evening Standard. 13 November 2019. 12 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191112202125/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/general-election-2019-we-wont-stand-aside-for-you-in-any-seats-boris-johnson-tells-nigel-farage-a4284971.html. live.
  205. Web site: Plummer. Kate. Frustrated former Brexit Party general election candidates to run as independents. 12 November 2019. Scram News. en-GB. 29 March 2020. 29 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200329111815/https://scramnews.com/brexit-party-general-election-candidates-to-run-as-independents-paulette-furse-neil-greaves/. live.
  206. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000541 Barnsley Central
  207. News: Barnsley East parliamentary constituency – Election 2019. en-GB. 1 December 2020. 7 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170607011817/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000542. live.
  208. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000773 Hull West & Hessle
  209. News: McKenna . David . 23 May 2024 . Reform UK leader Richard Tice to stand in Boston and Skegness . live . 7 July 2024 . BBC News.
  210. News: Geiger . Chas . 23 May 2024 . Nigel Farage rules out standing for Reform UK in general election . live . 7 July 2024 . BBC News.
  211. Web site: Farage . Nigel . 23 May 2024 . Statement on the Upcoming Election . 7 July 2024 . Twitter.
  212. News: 7 June 2024 . The Myth of the Squeeze . live . 7 July 2024 . Delta Poll.
  213. News: McKiernan . Jennifer . 25 May 2024 . Conservatives want to bring back compulsory national service . live . 7 July 2024 . BBC News.
  214. Web site: UK General Election 2024 YouGov . 10 June 2024 . yougov.co.uk . en-gb.
  215. Web site: General election 2024 poll tracker: How do the parties compare? . BBC News . 11 June 2023 . 11 June 2023.
  216. Web site: Nigel Farage won seven-party BBC debate, according to viewer poll . Independent . 8 June 2024 . 11 June 2024 .
  217. Web site: Reform UK pulls to within two points of Tories in latest YouGov poll . Sky News . 6 June 2024 . 6 June 2024.
  218. Web site: WhoCanIVoteFor . Data . 9 June 2024 . 2024 UK general election candidate summary . 9 June 2024 . democracyclub.org.uk . en.
  219. Web site: Francis . Sam . Fenwick . Jack . 11 June 2024 . SDP vows to rebuild UK industry in first manifesto for 37 years . 12 June 2024 . . en-GB.
  220. Web site: 10 June 2024 . Reform candidate said UK should have been neutral against Hitler . 10 June 2024 . BBC News . en-GB.
  221. News: Elgot . Jessica . 10 June 2024 . Reform UK defends candidate over Hitler neutrality comments . 11 June 2024 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  222. Web site: Pope . Felix . Reform UK candidate says Britain should have stayed neutral in WW2 . 11 June 2024 . The Jewish Chronicle . en.
  223. Web site: Witherow . Fintan Hogan, Tom . 13 June 2024 . Reform UK candidates are Facebook 'friends' with fascist leader . 13 June 2024 . thetimes.com . en.
  224. Web site: Farage claims Reform UK has been 'stitched up' over candidate vetting . The National . 18 June 2024 . 19 June 2024 .
  225. Web site: Voters Prefer the Conservatives' Slogan Over Labour's . Redfield & Wilton Strategies . 14 June 2024 . 14 June 2024 .
  226. Web site: Reform UK's Party Election Broadcast: a bold rejection of the status quo . politicaladvertising.co.uk . 14 June 2024 . 14 June 2024 .
  227. Web site: Reform UK overtakes Conservatives in new poll in fresh blow for Rishi Sunak . Sky News . 13 June 2024 . 13 June 2024 .
  228. Web site: What does Nigel Farage really want? . BBC News . 15 June 2024 . 16 June 2024 .
  229. Web site: Survation x Best for Britain Voting Intention MRP 14th June 2024 . Survation . 15 June 2024 . 16 June 2024 .
  230. Web site: The Nigel Farage effect is real . Politico . 19 June 2024 . 19 June 2024 .
  231. News: Muslim millionaire gives major donation to Reform UK . BBC News . 20 June 2024 . 21 June 2024 .
  232. News: Morton . Becky . 22 June 2024 . Rivals attack Farage for saying West provoked Ukraine war . 24 June 2024 . BBC News.
  233. News: Exclusive: Undercover inside Reform's campaign – evidence of homophobia and canvasser's racism . Channel 4 News . 27 June 2024.
  234. News: Reform UK campaigners caught making racist slurs . 30 June 2024 . BBC News . 27 June 2024.
  235. News: Smout . Alistair . MacAskill . Andrew . Rishi Sunak hurt and angry over Reform volunteer's racial slur . The Sydney Morning Herald . 29 June 2024.
  236. News: Nigel Farage criticizes racist remarks by Reform UK worker. But he later called it a 'stitch-up' . 30 June 2024 . AP News . 28 June 2024.
  237. News: Castle . Stephen . Racist and Homophobic Comments Unsettle U.K. Election Campaign . 30 June 2024 . . 28 June 2024.
  238. News: Mason . Rowena . Stacey . Kiran . Nigel Farage 'has questions to answer' over Reform racism, says Rishi Sunak . The Guardian . 28 June 2024.
  239. News: Reform UK activist's racial slur hurts, says Sunak . BBC News . 28 June 2024.
  240. News: Penna . Dominic . Reform UK makes official complaint against Channel 4 over 'electoral interference' . 30 June 2024 . The Telegraph . 29 June 2024.
  241. News: Luck . Flaminia . Conroy . Will . Reform UK withdraws support for three election candidates amid racism scandal . 30 June 2024 . LBC . 28 June 2024.
  242. News: Brown . Faye . Reform canvasser in PM racism row says he was 'a total fool' . 30 June 2024 . Sky News . 28 June 2024.
  243. News: Gibbons . Amy . Hardaker . Daniel . Reform candidate defects to Tories amid racism row . The Telegraph . 30 June 2024.
  244. News: Mansfield . Mark . Reform UK candidate drops out and backs Tories amid racism row . 30 June 2024 . . 30 June 2024.
  245. Web site: Gloucester to have Brexit Party's first ever council candidates. Tom. Gibbon. 29 June 2019. gloucestershirelive. 18 July 2019. 22 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230322195839/https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/brexit-party-local-elections-gloucester-3032107. live.
  246. Web site: Local byelections: Lib Dems win two seats, Brexit party none. 26 July 2019. The Guardian. 26 July 2019. 26 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190726074021/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/26/local-byelections-lib-dems-win-two-seats-brexit-party-none. live.
  247. BBC Radio Manchester . BBCRadioManc . 1146446174783778816 . The former Labour leader of Rochdale Council Colin Lambert has defected to the Brexit Party. He led the authority for three years between 2011 and 2014. Councillor Alan McCarthy is also joining the Brexit Party. He's resigned the Labour whip on Rochdale Council. . 3 July 2019 . 6 July 2019.
  248. Web site: Councillor details – Councillor Alan McCarthy . Democracy.rochdale.gov.uk . 6 July 2019 . 22 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191122192535/http://democracy.rochdale.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=150 . live .
  249. Web site: Lib Dem councillor stuns colleagues by quitting to join The Brexit Party. Nick. Statham. 10 July 2019. men. 10 July 2019. 10 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190710182715/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/liberal-democrat-councillor-stuns-colleagues-16563821. live.
  250. Web site: UKIP councillors switch to Brexit Party. 18 July 2019. BBC News. 18 July 2019. 18 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190718223053/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-49030786. live.
  251. News: Derby's five UKIP councillors have defected to the Brexit Party. 16 July 2019. Derby Telegraph. 19 July 2019. 17 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190717153436/https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/derbys-five-ukip-councillors-defected-3096267. live.
  252. News: Brexit Party takes control of Hartlepool Council. BBC News. 13 September 2019. 13 September 2019. 17 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190917180051/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-49686398. live.
  253. Web site: Surrey has its first Brexit Party councillor but residents didn't get a say. Surrey Live. 18 September 2019. 18 September 2019. 20 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190920134938/https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/surrey-first-brexit-party-councillor-16939861. live.
  254. Web site: Hartlepool Council no longer under Brexit Party control. 6 February 2020. BBC. 8 September 2020. 8 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210508064838/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-51400045. live.
  255. Web site: 10 July 2020. Councillor details – Councillor Allen Cowles. 10 July 2020. Rotherham Council. 27 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200727043114/https://moderngov.rotherham.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=2012. live.
  256. Web site: Opposition to back Rotherham's deselected Mayor candidate. 10 July 2020. rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk. 5 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200705115653/https://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/news/view,opposition-to-back-rotherhams-deselected-mayor-candidate_35905.htm. live.
  257. Web site: Local Elections. BBC. 9 May 2021. 26 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211126224116/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c481drqqzv7t/england-local-elections-2021. live.
  258. Web site: Local Elections. derby.gov.uk. 9 May 2021. 9 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210509140326/https://www.derby.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors-democracy-elections/elections/election-results/local-election-results/results-2021/. live.
  259. Web site: Redbridge Conservative leaves party over handling of Covid. guardian-series.co.uk. 20 April 2021 . 9 May 2021. 13 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513021431/https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/19245197.redbridge-conservative-leaves-party-handling-covid/. live.
  260. Web site: Winning a Pennine seat would be Felicitous. localcouncils.co.uk. 27 November 2021. 27 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211127224824/https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/2021/09/winning-a-pennine-seat-would-be-felicitous/. live.
  261. Web site: View registration – The Electoral Commission . 25 April 2024 . search.electoralcommission.org.uk.
  262. News: 22 June 2020 . New political party set up to reform Derby already has five councillors . 25 April 2024 . Derbyshire Live . en-GB . 0307-1235.
  263. News: 6 December 2021. Two Tory councillors defect amid North Shropshire by-election campaign. en-GB. BBC News. 6 December 2021. 7 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211207094410/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-59547081. live.
  264. News: Turner . Camilla . 18 April 2022 . Net zero will be new Brexit for Tories, says Richard Tice . The Telegraph . 20 April 2022 . 19 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220419183835/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/04/18/net-zero-will-new-brexit-tories-says-richard-tice/ . live .
  265. Web site: Open Council Data UK – compositions councillors parties wards elections. 25 July 2021. opencouncildata.co.uk. 10 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210510142347/http://opencouncildata.co.uk/councillors.php?p=459&y=0. live.
  266. News: Hope . Christopher . 8 December 2022 . Conservative jumps ship to Reform UK as talks over more defections continue with MPs . The Telegraph . 9 December 2022 . 9 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209021035/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/12/08/conservative-jumps-ship-reform-uk-talks-continue-mps-defections/ . live .
  267. Web site: Councillor laments over 'broken' Britain as he quits Conservatives for Reform UK. 30 January 2023. 27 January 2023. 30 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230130105000/https://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2023/01/27/councillor-laments-over-broken-britain-as-he-quits-tories-for-reform/. live.
  268. Web site: House of Commons Library . Local elections 2023: Results and analysis . 24 September 2023.
  269. News: 5 May 2023 . Reform UK struggles to make headway in local elections . en-GB . BBC News . 7 May 2023.
  270. Web site: Who is the new Mayor of Derby? Walkout and shouts of disapproval as Reform councillor Alan Graves elected . Derbyshire Live . 24 May 2023 . 17 June 2024 .
  271. News: Hemmingham . Nathan . 1 March 2024 . Councillor defects from Conservatives to Reform UK . BBC News . 3 March 2024.
  272. Web site: Local election results in maps and charts . BBC News . 8 May 2024 . 11 June 2024 .
  273. Web site: Reform UK on Havant Borough Council seats - residents want change.
  274. News: 3 May 2024 . Reform UK becoming real opposition to Labour, says Richard Tice . 4 May 2024 . BBC News . en-GB.
  275. Web site: 20 June 2024 . Your Councillors . 20 June 2024 . tdcdemocracy.tendringdc.gov.uk . en.
  276. News: Calgie . Christian . 18 June 2024 . NEW: Nigel Farage announces four local Tory-turned independent-councillors defecting to Reform UK at tonight's Clacton town hall meeting . live . Daily Express . 20 June 2024 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Reform UK".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.