Overview

• Reform UK staged its largest conference at the NEC with thousands attending, slick production, heavy merchandising and a surprise afterparty performance by Marlon and Jackie Jackson.
• Nadine Dorries defected from the Conservatives and appeared on stage, with Farage saying more former Tory ministers will join; Jacob Rees‑Mogg declined to defect but offered to advise if Reform enters government.
• Farage publicly assigned roles to signal a governing lineup, naming Lee Anderson as welfare spokesman and calling for members to keep disagreements private.
• The party touted momentum with a claimed membership above 240,000 and polling near 30% since May, drawing increased interest from lobbyists and business figures.
• Controversial proposals, including deporting 600,000 asylum seekers and leaving the ECHR, drew legal and constitutional warnings, as attendees also voiced unease over multiple ex‑Conservative recruits and fringe speakers made disputed claims.