Nigel Farage has broken his silence after "relinquishing" his once untouchable grip over Reform UK as the populist party prepares to hold its annual conference in Birmingham.
The Clacton MP, who returned as Reform UK’s leader just weeks before the election, held a firm grip over the revamped Brexit Party until just a few days ago.
However, Farage is now keen to democratise the populist party following success on July 4 and after ex-deputy leader Ben Habib exerted enormous pressure to take bold action.
The new constitution, unveiled by chairman Zia Yusuf, includes a provision for members and MPs to potentially oust Farage as leader.
The 17-page constitution revealed that a vote on the leader can be triggered "by 50 per cent of all Members in Good Standing writing to the Chairman requesting a motion of confidence".
A vote can also be called "by 50 Members of the Parliamentary Party or 50 per cent of the Members of the Parliamentary Party (whichever is greater), writing to the Chairman and requesting a motion of no confidence".
However, this only applies if there are more than 100 MPs in Parliament. Currently, there are only five Reform UK MPs.
Breaking his silence on the revamped constitution last night, Farage said: “I no longer need to control this party. I’m going to let go.
“We will change the structure of the party from one limited by shares to a company limited by guarantee.
“And that means that the members of Reform that will own the party.
“I’m relinquishing control of the company and indeed of the overall control of the party.”
Farage also claimed that between 3,500 and 4,000 Reform UK members will descend on Birmingham for its two-day conference.
The 60-year-old Brexit stalwart will deliver today's closing speech in what supporters hope will propel Reform UK forward into the 2025 Local Elections.
CHECK OUT GB NEWS’ FULL POLITICAL UPDATES BELOW...
Yusuf pleads Reform UK members to march Farage to Downing Street in 2029
Zia Yusuf told GB News "every week, we see momentum building, with new highs in the polls, membership surging to new records"Zia Yusuf
Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf has welcomed the populist party's supporters to the NEC in Birmingham.
Yusuf, who just days ago unveiled a series of constitutional reforms, warned members the UK is facing a time of "great peril" and claimed the "Westminster elite trample[s] all we hold dear".
In his note to Reform UK members, Yusuf added: "Reform has unparalleled enthusiasm. We must now build the infrastructure to harness it.
"We cannot do this without you. If you can, please get involved in your local branch.
"Volunteering to help knock on doors, deliver leaflets and turning out the vote will be pivotal in our success.
"If you do this, we will celebrate resounding wins at the council elections next year, perform brilliantly in Scotland and Wales after that, and then we will elect Nigel Farage to Downing Street to be our Prime Minister."
GB News arrives in Birmingham - SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
GB News has set up shop at the NEC in Birmingham ahead of Reform UK's annual conference.
The populist party estimates up to 4,000 members could be in town to hear speeches from the likes of Nigel Farage, Richard Tice and Lee Anderson.
Reform UK supporters can show their support for GB News by scanning the QR code next to our broadcasting hub to become signed-up members of Britain's News Channel.
'Unhealthy scepticism!' Ex-Boris aide DEFENDS Farage after row breaks out over constituency surgeries
‘There is a really unhealthy skepticism about this story. Over the last few years we’ve had two MPs lose their lives!’
— GB News (@GBNEWS) September 20, 2024
Oscar Reddrop on Nigel Farage's claim that he fears for his safety when interacting with constituents, after a string of incidents targeting the Reform leader. pic.twitter.com/Wn4ZDHeyIW
Former Boris Johnson aide Oscar Reddrop has defended Nigel Farage after a row broke out surrounding the Reform UK leader's decision not to hold in-person surgery meetings in Clacton.
Farage, 60, claimed the Speaker's Office advised him against the face-to-face meetings for security reasons.
The comments sparked backlash from those critical of Farage.
However, Reddrop defended the ex-Brexit Party leader.
Speaking to GB News, the former No10 insider said: "There is a really unhealthy scepticism about this story.
"Over the last few years we’ve had two MPs lose their lives."
Reform UK put 'members first' with conference 'celebration' - ANALYSIS BY CHRISTOPHER HOPE
GB News' political editor Christopher Hope has claimed Reform UK intend on putting the "members first" by holding a conference of "celebration" in Birmingham over the next two-days.
Christopher, who is in Birmingham to cover the conference, shared some insight on what to expect ahead of a series of major speeches later today.
GB News' political editor said:
Here we are at the NEC in Birmingham. I'm struck, having been to many party conferences, how it is set up to make it easy for members to get here. Whereas, the other parties are often aimed at lobbyists and big corporates. This is certainly an event where they're putting their 80,000 members first."
Discussing Reform UK's plans for the next two-days, Christopher added: "They're planning a big party in celebration of their recent wins."
UK borrowing highest since Covid-19 pandemic in blow to Labour's plan for economy
Rachel Reeves
GettyLabour has been dealt another blow to its fiscal agenda for the economy as public sector borrowing is the highest since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Borrowing in August 2024 was found to be the third highest on record, only behind 2020 and 2021, despite tax revenues being up over the period.
Costs, not including public sector banks came to £13.7billion in August 2024 which is £3.3billion more than in August 2023.
Immigration and woke ideology has put 'English identity at risk', Robert Jenrick warns
Tory leadership frontrunner Robert Jenrick has raised fears over the erosion of English identityPAEnglish identity is under threat from mass immigration and the metropolitan elite, Tory leadership frontrunner Robert Jenrick has warned.
The Conservative hopeful has raised concerns over the effects of a mix of "unprecedented migration... the dismantling of our national culture, non-integrating multiculturalism and the denigration of our identity" - which he said has "presented huge problems".
Though he called the UK an "open and tolerant nation, perhaps more so than any other country on Earth" where "people of every background have not just come to England, but, over time, become both English and British", he raised fears over the sheer scale of immigration to this country.
Farage 'received advice' against holding constituency surgeries amid safety fears
Nigel Farage in ClactonPANigel Farage has claimed he received advice which means he will not hold constituency surgeries in Clacton-on-Sea amid safety fears.
The Clacton MP, who was assaulted twice during the 2024 General Election campaign, alleged that the Speaker's Office provided the advice following criticisms about his opening few months in the job.
He said: "We’re not in a fit state to do the old-style surgeries, but do you know what, if you’ve got something to say to me as a Clacton resident, zoom is not the end of the world."
Farage added: "Do I have an office in Clacton? Yes. Am I allowing the public to flow through the door with their knives in their pockets? No, no I’m not."
However, Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “As a constituency MP in Chorley, I hold regular surgeries myself with constituents - and whenever a Member asks for my advice on this matter, I always say that if you are going to hold constituency surgeries, make sure you take advice from the Parliamentary Security Department – and do so safely.”
A House of Commons spokesperson added: “The ability for MPs to perform their parliamentary duties safely, both on and off the estate, is fundamental to our democracy.
“The Parliamentary Security Department, working closely with the police, offer all MPs a range of security measures for those with offices or surgeries in their constituencies – helping to ensure a safe working environment.
“We do not comment on individual MPs’ security arrangements or advice because we would not wish to compromise the safety of MPs, parliamentary staff or members of the public, but these are kept under continuous review.”
Tice plans to emulate Lib Dems as Reform UK set sights on 2029
Liberal Democrat Sir Ed DaveyPAReform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice has suggested the populist party can learn from the Liberal Democrats' ground campaign ahead of the 2029 General Election.
Tice, who won the seat of Boston & Skegness on July 4, is looking to adopt a new strategy ahead of the 2025 Local Elections across England next May.
“We’ve got to take the professionalism to another whole gear and do the branches, because that’s how you’ve got to build up the ground campaign,” he told The Guardian.
“We’ve got to learn from the wonderful Lib Dems, who are very good at that. The truth is they’re the best at ground campaigning. I think we should give credit where it’s due. It’s what they’re really good at.”
Despite receiving less votes than Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats returned 72 MPs on July 4 after a slump in Tory support opened up swathes of seats in the so-called Blue Wall.
Reform UK is now looking to establish pilot associations across the country to put in place a ground campaign to contest key electoral battles.
The almost 4,000 members who arrive in Birmingham will have the opportunity to join sessions about creating new branches and choosing candidates tomorrow.
Habib SLAMS Reform UK's democratisation plans
I have been campaigning for the democratisation of @reformparty_uk. That is vital to Reform and the country
— Ben Habib (@benhabib6) September 19, 2024
On 22 August @ZiaYusufUK declared the finest legal minds were working day and night on producing a constitution which would allow members to remove the leader
Not true! pic.twitter.com/1INcuweNEH
Reform UK's former deputy leader Ben Habib has slammed Reform UK's democratisation plans in a lengthy video uploaded to social media.
The 59-year-old, who stood as the populist party's Wellingborough candidate on July 4, claimed the updated constitution was something first penned in 2023 and warned it risked power being "vested" in Reform UK's board.
Habib released a seven-minute video on the situation yesterday but will not attend Reform UK's annual conference in Birmingham today or tomorrow.
What to expect from Reform UK's annual conference
Nigel FarageGETTYReform UK's conference will see around 4,000 members descend on Birmingham for two days of speeches and fringe events.
South Basildon & East Thurrock MP James McMurdock will kick off the speeches just after midday.
Ex-Tory MP Ann Widdecombe and 'SAS: Who Dares Wins' star Ant Middleton will follow ahead of a short lunch break.
Rupert Lowe, Lee Anderson and Richard Tice's speeches will soon follow, with Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf appearing on stage just days after unveiling Reform UK's constitution.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will provide the closing speech before members head off to a number of fringe events.