Reform UK leader Nigel Farage declared his party is replacing the Conservative Party as Britain’s main center-right political force, claiming the Tories have become outdated and ineffective.

High-Profile Conservative Defections

Several prominent Conservative figures have joined Reform UK in recent months, including sitting Members of Parliament Suella Braverman, Robert Jenrick, and Danny Kruger. Former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi also switched parties. Farage now counts more former cabinet members from Liz Truss’s administration in his ranks than current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has in her shadow cabinet. The defections signal growing dissatisfaction within Conservative ranks as the party struggles to maintain unity and electoral viability.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Political Thinking program, Farage dismissed suggestions that Reform was simply becoming another version of the Conservative Party. He predicted the upcoming Scottish, Welsh, and English council elections in May would demonstrate a collapse in support for both major British political parties. Farage promised additional Labor Party defections would follow, though he acknowledged such political moves take time to materialize.

Defining British Identity

The Reform leader sparked controversy by outlining his vision of British identity during the interview. Farage argued that true Britishness requires people to instinctively identify as British, describing nationality as an extension of family membership. He supported comments by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe about immigration’s impact on Britain, though he distanced himself from Ratcliffe’s specific use of colonization language. Farage pointed to areas of East London with foreign language signage as examples of communities becoming unrecognizable.

Electoral Ambitions and Opposition Response

Reform UK faces its next electoral test in the Gorton and Denton by-election on February 26, where candidate Matthew Goodwin seeks to become the party’s ninth parliamentary representative. Farage expressed confidence about Reform’s growing appeal across ethnic communities, claiming the party attracted more minority votes than the Liberal Democrats in the 2024 general election. Labor Party representatives dismissed Reform’s growth as recycled Conservative politics, arguing the defecting politicians represent the same failed policies that previously damaged public services and economic prosperity.