Nigel Farage has urged the Conservative Party, currently in opposition, to perform an audit of its membership figures, asserting that his party, Reform UK, has now outstripped the Conservatives in terms of size.
Farage, a well-known advocate for Brexit, proclaimed Reform as the “true opposition” during the holiday period, introducing a digital tracker to monitor new memberships and claiming that his party has surpassed the 131,680 members reported by the Conservatives during the leadership contest in November.
Kemi Badenoch, the victor of that contest, refuted Farage’s assertion on X, accusing him of “manipulating” the membership statistics and implying that the tracker was “programmed to increase automatically.”
In response, Farage proposed that Reform’s membership be independently audited by one of the “Big Four” accounting firms, contingent upon the Conservatives agreeing to a similar audit. He alleged that “Tory whistleblowers” had informed him that ballots for the leadership election were dispatched to individuals who had either lapsed or resigned their memberships. According to POLITICO, the Conservative Party has yet to respond to this challenge.
Reform UK made notable gains during the summer elections, garnering 4 million votes and winning five parliamentary seats. The party is now focusing its efforts on the ruling Labour Party, with one poll indicating that it has surpassed Keir Starmer’s Labour in terms of support.
The situation intensified when Farage participated in a traditional Boxing Day fox hunt, where he declared it a “historic moment” for his party as it allegedly surpassed the Conservatives. Reform projected its membership count onto the headquarters of the Conservative Party, illuminating the building in turquoise and displaying a message directed at Badenoch: “Merry Christmas, Kemi!”
Badenoch expressed skepticism regarding the membership statistics, asserting: “We have been monitoring the backend for several days and have observed that they have altered the code to redirect to a different site… Farage lacks an understanding of the digital landscape. Such deception is quickly uncovered, although it may initially mislead many.”
In response, Farage accused Badenoch of harboring bitterness, asserting, “We are now the second largest party in British politics, while the Conservative brand is deteriorating under your leadership.”
Reform Chair Zia Yusuf subsequently shared screenshots that allegedly validate the membership figures, as reported by POLITICO.
Critics have noted that party membership does not necessarily translate into electoral success. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn boasted 560,000 members at his peak yet faced a significant defeat in 2019. The forthcoming local elections in May will serve as a crucial test for Farage’s party to determine if it can convert its expanding membership into electoral victories.
A recent YouGov poll conducted for The Times revealed low approval ratings for all major party leaders, with Starmer at -41, Farage at -34, and Badenoch at -31.
