Reform UK gains 20,000 grassroots supporters since Badenoch 'fakery' tweet - 'Her two days of silence is deafening!'
Kemi Badenoch urged to 'be quiet' after 'picking a fight' with Reform UK
GB News
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has gained 20,000 grassroot supporters in the four days since Kemi Badenoch accused the party of faking its numbers.
The populist party, which is setting its sights on sending Farage to No10 in 2029, confirmed on Boxing Day that its total membership has soared past the Conservative Party - which stands at 131,680 as of November 2024.
“We've done it, we're through,” Farage exclaimed. “How about that? The official opposition. It's going to be a long day.”
Conflict soon broke after Badenoch accused Farage of “manipulation” by ticking the tally up with “fake” numbers.
Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage are embroiled in a feud
PA
Farage fired back, demanding an apology and threatening to take legal action against her if she refused to do so.
Since overtaking the Tories, Farage’s party has gained an additional 20,000 members - putting it behind Labour as the party with the most memberships in the UK. Sir Keir Starmer’s ruling party has 367,000 supporters.
Reform UK only had 40,000 members ahead of Farage’s comeback as leader in June 2024, with the Brexit stalwart's return handing the right-wing party an exponential growth rate of 300 per cent in just eight months.
The return of Farage gave Reform UK an almost immediate 25,000 boost, with the total membership figure hitting 75,000 in August 2024.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Reform UK membership officially overtook the Tories on Boxing DayReform UKThe party only hit the 100,000-member mark at the end of November, meaning that it has added 50,000 new supporters in the space of a month.
The clash between Badenoch and Reform UK has extended to media coverage, with the Conservative leader reportedly confronting GB News over Farage's airtime claiming the channel is a “haven for her critics”.
In a statement, a GB News spokesman confirmed that the meeting took place “without any acrimony” and was “very constructive”.
In response to the alleged complaint, Farage said: “Kemi talks about competition being a good thing but now we see that she wants me taken off air.
Reform UK only had 40,000 members ahead of Farage’s comeback as leader in June 2024
PA
“Maybe her first priority should be to go on GB News today and apologise for calling me dishonest. Her two days of silence is deafening.”
Speaking to GB News, Lee Anderson stressed that Badenoch had “picked a fight” with Farage and cautioned that it had “backfired”.
“Stop picking fights with Nigel, it's a waste of time, you're never going to beat him. He's been at it the thick end of three decades doing this sort of stuff, he has these sort of politicians for breakfast,” Anderson stated.
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