On Tuesday afternoon, a familiar figure pulled up at a Westminster café to plot the Tories’ downfall. Nigel Farage beamed from the back of his black Range Rover as he arrived to welcome Reform’s latest recruits. The purpose of the Old Queen Street summit was to plan the party’s path to next year’s local elections in May. Where better to scheme than in the neighbouring street to Conservative Central Headquarters?
‘It baffles me how we’re the most successful political party in the western world,’ says one Tory
While the Tories are enjoying a four-month leadership contest, Farage and his aides are hard at work. A constitution has been drafted to turn the limited company into a proper political party, with parameters to prevent any Ukip-style feuding. More than 100 local branches will launch in the coming weeks to marshal 75,000 paying members. Regardless of who the next leader of the opposition is, Reform is preparing for spring.
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