Reform membership surpasses Conservatives, Nigel Farage claims

26 December 2024, 12:34 | Updated: 6 January 2025, 08:52

Leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage
Reform membership surpasses Conservatives, leader of Reform Nigel Farage claims. Picture: Getty

By Flaminia Luck

Membership of Reform UK has surpassed that of the Conservatives, Nigel Farage's party has said.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year.

Mr Farage said it was a "historic moment" as he posted on X: "The youngest political party in British politics has just overtaken the oldest political party in the world.

"Reform UK are now the real opposition."

Party chairman Zia Yusuf said: "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."

There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party's leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn.

The figure, revealed as Kemi Badenoch was announced leader on November 2, was the lowest Tory level on record and a drop from the 2022 leadership contest when there were around 172,000 members.

Read more: Gavin And Stacey finale secures highest Christmas Day ratings since 2008 - with 12.3 million views

Read more: King Charles pays tribute to 'selfless' doctors and nurses who treated him after cancer diagnosis in Christmas speech

Reform returned five MPs to the Commons at the general election in July, including Mr Farage in Clacton.

Reform MPs James McMurdock, Lee Anderson, Nigel Farage, Richard Tice and Rupert Lowe
Reform MPs James McMurdock, Lee Anderson, Nigel Farage, Richard Tice and Rupert Lowe. Picture: Alamy

However Ms Badenoch has cast doubt on Reform's membership figures, accusing the party of creating a "fake" counter "coded to tick up automatically."

She said she was "sick" of what she called the "endless lies, smoke and mirrors and nonsense politics."

In response, Mr Farage said Ms Badenoch was "bitter, upset and angry" about the growth in Reform's support but that wasn't an "excuse" to accuse them of "committing fraud".

He added the party would "gladly invite one of the Big 4 firms in to audit our membership numbers" providing the Tories did the same.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Uriah Rennie is 'learning to walk again'.

Premier League's first black referee, Uriah Rennie, 'learning to walk again' after he was left paralysed

Breaking
Two people died in the explosion in Newcastle

Man, 33, admits manslaughter and drugs charge after devastating house explosion in Newcastle left two dead

j

Glamorous drug smuggling friends found guilty of bringing cannabis to UK - after New York 'shopping trip'

Greenpeace activists scaled a building outside the Foreign Office

Greenpeace activists scale Foreign Office building over signing of ocean treaty

Spain celebrates winning the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 in Australia

UK poised to host 2035 Women’s World Cup

Lucy Letby

Lawyer for killer nurse Lucy Letby to hand over 'fresh' evidence he hopes will clear her name

World leaders react to US tariffs

'This is not the act of a friend': World leaders react to Trump's 'unwarranted' tariffs

The millionaire businesswoman has called for an urgent safety review by TfL after the emergency Help Point failed in a central London station.

Millionaire businesswoman abandoned on Tube platform by staff after 'traumatising' assault

British couple

British couple found dead in New Zealand named - as police probe possible murder-suicide

Virginia Giuffre said she had been left with 'four days to life' after the crash

Bus driver breaks silence on Virginia Giuffre crash that left her 'with four days to live'

Police at the Biffa recycling plant in Hartlepool

Human remains found at recycling plant in Hartlepool as probe launched

Foreign Secretary David Lammy

David Lammy to urge Nato allies to increase defence spending in bid to make alliance 'stronger, fairer and more lethal'

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

EU threatens further countermeasures against US tariffs after 'major blow to world economy'

Police have urged parents to report their children to anti-terror programme Prevent if they are watching harmful content online

'Report your children to Prevent if they're watching misogynist videos online', police urge parents

Donald Trump signs an executive order imposing tariffs on imported goods

'Liberation Day' explained: What are Trump's tariffs and how will they impact the UK?

The blurry thieves stole £3,000 worth of cigarettes and vapes.

Police release CCTV after thieves steal £3,000 of vapes - but images leave the public calling for 'the ghostbusters'