Reform UK, the party led by Nigel Farage, has achieved a historic milestone by surpassing the Conservative Party in membership numbers for the first time. According to Reform’s online membership tracker, the party now boasts 133,340 members as of 2pm on Thursday, overtaking the last known Conservative figure of 131,680. This development is seen as a significant blow to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who has been grappling with the fallout from the party’s recent general election loss.
The surge in Reform UK’s membership signals a growing shift in the political climate, particularly with younger voters increasingly flocking to the party. The increased membership was fueled by the party's decision to charge just £10 for those aged 25 and under. Just this past weekend, Farage proudly announced the addition of 1,000 young individuals to the party within just 48 hours. To celebrate the momentous occasion, Reform displayed its membership figures projected onto the Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ), with the caption: “Reform UK have just smashed through the Conservative membership number. Santa paid a late visit to CCHQ last night to wish @KemiBadenoch a Merry Christmas.”
While Reform UK continues to gain momentum, membership for the Labour Party has been dwindling, dropping to its lowest level in ten years. Current official reports reveal Labour now has 370,450 members, down from the 532,000 under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership in 2019. Contrastingly, the Conservative Party has not provided regular membership updates; the last official count, during the leadership election, revealed 131,680 members
Richard Tice, Reform’s deputy leader, expressed confidence over the surge translating to increased support in future polling. Speaking to The Telegraph, he asserted, “Everybody who wrote us off, we’re just warming up. By this time next year, we’ll not only have more members than the Tories, but we’ll also be the biggest party in polling terms.” He added, “The frustration with the state of the country, the economy, and the pain of socialism is palpable. People are realising Britain needs Reform. The Tories look stale and turgid. This is an existential crisis for them — nobody wants them anymore.”
Reform's chairman, Zia Yusuf, echoed Tice’s sentiments, declaring, “History has been made today, as the centuries-long stranglehold on the centre-right of British politics by the Tories has finally been broken. Nigel Farage will be the next Prime Minister and will return Britain to greatness.” With these claims, Reform positions itself as the new voice of the centre-right, ready to claim the crown from the Conservatives.
Despite the celebration within Reform, concerns linger about whether the membership surge will translate to concrete electoral success. Experts note the party’s ability to maintain newfound momentum, especially as there are uncertainties surrounding the actual political engagement of its online supporters. Luke Tryl, director of the More in Common think tank, pointed out the opaque nature of party membership statistics, making it challenging to confirm genuine growth or grassroots support.
Adding to the tension, Kemi Badenoch challenged the authenticity of Reform UK's membership claims, asserting her party had gained “thousands of new members” since she took over as leader. She accused Farage of “faking” membership numbers, saying, “It’s not real. It’s a fake [counter] coded to tick up automatically.” Badenoch went on to express her frustration with the political climate, referring to it as “stuff and nonsense politics” and claiming the Conservative Party would lead with “hard, unvarnished truths.”
Responding to these accusations, Farage dismissed the claims, labeling Badenoch's remarks as “sad, desperate, and angry.” He stood firm, asserting, “These are real members, and what we have achieved is phenomenal.”
The emergence of Reform UK as the new opposition is also influenced by their performance during the general election last July, where they claimed five seats, with Farage representing Clacton. The party’s ability to secure substantial votes had the effect of splitting the Conservative vote across numerous constituencies, leading to losses for the Tories.
Looking forward, Reform UK will need to focus on transforming this impressive membership growth from numbers to boots on the ground, as well as gaining traction within the polling and local council elections scheduled for May. A united call for action emphasizes the potential for reshaping the right-wing political spectrum, urging collaboration between parties to combat common rivals. Conservative Post Editor Claire Bullivant remarked, “Now is the time to take the fight to Labour, not to each other. A united right could set Britain on the path to victory, not just for one term, but for generations to come.”
Farage's recent meeting with Elon Musk has fueled rumors of significant financial backing for Reform UK, potentially amplifying their political weight. With all eyes on upcoming elections, the question remains: can Reform UK turn its membership surge and newfound recognition from the political establishment to fruitful electoral outcomes? The stakes are high, as the battle for the center-right of British politics heats up once again.
