Overview

• At Reform UK’s two-day gathering in Birmingham, Nigel Farage vowed to halt small-boat Channel crossings within two weeks of taking office and pledged mass returns, proposals flagged as legally and operationally contentious.
• Farage told supporters to ready for a possible general election in 2027, while First Secretary Darren Jones said the government will not call an early vote following Angela Rayner’s resignation and a Labour cabinet reshuffle.
• The event drew thousands of attendees and active corporate interest, with firms such as JCB, TikTok and Airbnb on guest lists and high-priced sponsorship packages offered, though Heathrow stressed it was not endorsing the party.
• Polling puts Reform near 30% and ahead of Labour, after converting discontent into hundreds of local seats and attracting many former Conservative voters and recent non-voters.
• Analysts question Reform’s governing readiness and the feasibility of key pledges, noting talk of exiting human-rights treaties and the party’s limited parliamentary presence despite its national lead.