Reform UK has promised to stand candidates in all the council elections in May.
Chairman Zia Yusuf has pledged the party will stand candidates in all council seats at the local elections on May 1.
Speaking at a press conference in central London, Yusuf said: “Last May, Reform failed to stand in 88 per cent of the council seats that were up. This year, Reform will stand in all of the council seats that are up.”
He insisted: “It’s clear Reform has all of the momentum in British politics.”
The announcement came ahead of Reform leader Nigel Farage welcoming 29 new councillors to the party at a press conference in Westminster – and with the latest YouGov voting intention poll putting Reform on 23 per cent of the vote just shy of Labour’s 24 per cent.
The party leader slowly read aloud of a list those who are joining Reform – including 11 previously independent councillors, 15 former Conservatives, and an ex-Liberal Democrat – who all gradually joined him on stage. One defector was elected as a Labour member before becoming independent.
‘Lack experience’
Farage said: “There is a great sense of energy and optimism out there in the country… but one of the things we lack in Reform is experience.
“A lot of the people that have become part of the 400 branches that we’ve set up have never been in politics before.
“We need some old lags. We need some people who’ve been on councils and know what they’re doing.”
Farage said the party is aiming to win 200 seats in the local elections, with a campaign launch rally to take place in Birmingham on Friday, March 28.
He added: “Reform UK is averaging 26 per cent in the national opinion polls… local government is broken and needs Reform on May 1.”
‘Boris success’
The Reform politician argues his party has the chance to succeed at the local elections as the Conservatives would be “defending hundreds of seats that they won at the absolute peak of Boris Johnson’s then success”.
He added: “But the level of betrayal to so many voters who voted Conservative back in 2019 has been such that the party now stands frankly for nothing. It serves no particular purpose.”
The news conference came amid a period of “turbulence” for Reform UK, Farage admitted, following a row between the party leader and Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe who had the whip suspended earlier this month over alleged verbal threats and bullying, which he denies.
Farage conceded the spat had “caused some consternation” but said this was “at the edges” and suggested a report by an independent KC into the situation could emerge “this week”.