Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
In a significant shift within UK politics, Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, claims to have surpassed the Conservative Party in membership numbers, positioning itself as the second-largest political party in the country.
Truth Live News gathered that, a digital counter on Reform UK’s website indicates that their membership has exceeded the 131,680 members reported by the Conservatives during their recent leadership election.
Nigel Farage celebrated this development as a “historic moment,” asserting that Reform UK is now the “real opposition” in British politics. He further criticized Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, accusing her of presiding over a declining party.
In response, Kemi Badenoch dismissed Reform UK’s membership claims as fake, trumped up figures, alleging that the figures were artificially inflated using an automatically ticking counter. She maintained that the Conservative Party has been quietly gaining new members since the leadership election.
This membership surge for Reform UK follows a series of strategic moves, including the appointment of businessman Zia Yusuf as chairman and the recruitment of high-profile figures such as former Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns and luxury property developer Nick Candy, who now serves as the party’s treasurer.
The Labour Party remains the largest political party in the UK, with a membership of approximately 366,000 as of March 2024.
The rise of Reform UK presents a formidable challenge to the traditional dominance of the Conservative Party, indicating a potential realignment in the UK’s political landscape. As both parties prepare for upcoming local elections, the accuracy of membership claims and the effectiveness of their leadership will be critical factors influencing their future trajectories.