Reform UK Faces Setbacks Ahead of General Election

Within weeks Reform UK suffered two by-election losses: Labour’s Andy Burnham captured Makerfield with over 50 % of the vote, and the Greens won Gorton and Denton. The defeats exposed the party’s limited candidate pool, heightened tactical voting, and coincided with a standards probe into a £5 million donation from billionaire Christopher Harborne.

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At its peak, Reform topped national polls with a projected 35 % vote share, outpacing Labour and the Conservatives by ten points, and claimed control of 30 councils after the local elections. Candidate selections such as plumber Robert Kenyon and academic Matthew Goodwin attracted scrutiny for controversial social-media posts.

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Nigel Farage leads Reform; Lee Anderson is party chair; Christopher Harborne is the donor; Robbie Lammas, deputy leader of Medway Council Reform Group, voices criticism; Rupert Lowe heads rival Restore Britain; Luke Tryl, director of More in Common, analyses Reform’s performance; Andy Burnham, Labour MP, defeated Reform in Makerfield.

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Luke Tryl called the week “Reform’s worst week” and warned of a needed reset. Farage first said the £5 million covered security, later framed it as a Brexit-campaign reward, and declined further comment. Reform’s press release highlighted its local-government wins and Medway contests. A Tory backbencher warned tactical voting will be a “big challenge for Reform”.

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Robbie Lammas criticised Reform’s “chronically lack[ing] the experience and knowledge required to do professional governance” and described its culture as “anti-professional”. Labour and Conservative MPs warned a Farage premiership could mobilise 70-75 % of voters opposed to his leadership, while tactical voting amplified by opponents contributed to recent defeats.

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The £5 million donation remains disputed: Farage’s rationale shifted from security funding to a Brexit-related reward, and the parliamentary standards inquiry has yet to issue findings. The electoral impact of Restore Britain’s near-7 % vote share in Makerfield also lacks clear evidence.

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• “It’s none of your business.” — Nigel Farage, MP

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• “The trouble with Reform is that they chronically lack the experience and knowledge required to do any kind of professional governance at any level,” — Robbie Lammas, former deputy leader, Medway Council Reform Group

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• “They seem to have a culture of being anti-professional.” — Robbie Lammas

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• “ In response to this article, Reform issued a statement saying: “Reform delivered huge victories across the UK in our recent local government elections, now controlling over 30 councils.” — Reform UK statement

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Reform will contest upcoming Medway council elections while the parliamentary standards inquiry into the £5 million donation proceeds.

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