Nigel Farage announced today [17th March] 29 new councillor defections to Reform UK in a glitzy press conference in Whitehall.
Among the defectors, 13 were from the Tories, one was from Labour, one was Lib Dem and 14 were independents.
They covered a wide geographic span, with defectors coming from Hertfordshire County Council, Powys County Council, and Cheshire East Council, and a number of other areas.
Defecting councillors entered the stage as Farage announced them one by one.
Farage celebrated the defections: “This is one of the ways we’re broadening and deepening the party across the country. We are growing, we are building, we are strengthening.”
For the May elections, the party intends to stand candidates in every council seat up for election. At the last round of council elections in May 2024, Reform UK only contested a small portion of available seats.
The party leader said: “Last May, Reform failed to stand in 88% of the council seats, but this year we will stand in all of them.”
Referring to the May 1st elections, Farage expressed his belief that the polls showing Reform UK’s growing support are accurate and will be reflected in the voting results.
The party will be launching their local election campaign Friday week [28th March].
Nigel Farage claimed that the Conservative Party no longer represents its core supporters and pointed out that many of the seats they are defending were won during Boris Johnson’s tenure – a high water mark for Tory popularity.
He said: “I promise you a Conservative vote there will be a completely wasted vote, it’s going to be a two-horse-race between us and the Labour Party.”
Farage addressed recent controversies within the party, acknowledging complaints against Rupert Lowe but insisting that the party’s focus would remain on its electoral objectives.
He also called out the online racist abuse of the party’s chairman, Zia Yusuf. He addressed journalists in the room and accused them of ignoring the matter.
