Sri Lanka
USA
Canada
India
UK
UAE
Nigel Farage has told Reform UK members they must be ready for an early general election following the dramatic resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
The Reform leader delivered his keynote speech at the party’s conference three hours earlier than planned after Rayner’s resignation.
“We’re about to witness a big rift in the Labour Party,” Farage told cheering supporters. “I think there’s every chance now of a general election happening in 2027, and we must be ready for that moment.”
To prepare, Farage announced the creation of a new department within Reform UK, led by former party chairman Zia Yusuf as head of policy. He insisted the party must strengthen its structures and recruit experienced figures to be ready to “hit the ground running” if elected.
Farage predicted a Labour split, claiming some left-wingers may defect to Jeremy Corbyn’s planned party, although no clear signs of that have emerged.
While the speech included pledges such as welfare cuts, tougher immigration policies, scrapping net zero, and “zero tolerance policing,” the focus was more on rallying party members and capitalising on Reform’s recent rise in opinion polls and local election successes.
The event took on a US-style rally atmosphere, featuring glitter cannons and a surprise appearance from Nadine Dorries, who recently defected from the Conservatives. She told the crowd she felt “amongst people who share the same principles and values” for the first time in years.
Borrowing a line from Donald Trump, Farage told supporters: “Let’s make Britain great again.” He argued that growing displays of national flags symbolise public frustration with an establishment that “doesn’t believe in Britain.”
Ending with a defiant message, Farage declared: “No one cares more about the state of this country than I do. I’m determined to do something about it.”
The mood among supporters was buoyant, with many describing the movement as “fresh air” compared to what they called “stale” Conservatives and “fetid” Labour.
However, a Labour Party spokesperson dismissed Farage’s address, saying he offered only “anger without answers,” accusing Reform UK of being a “one-man band.”
