Story perspectives

Reform UK adds two ex-Tory MPs to Farage team

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 2:17 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Farage Adds MPs

Reform UK added two former Conservative MPs to Nigel Farage’s top team within a month of their defection.
Nigel Farage rebranded the Brexit Party as Reform UK in early 2021.
Reform secured 14% of the vote and five seats in the July 2024 general election.
After the election, Farage pledged tighter candidate vetting and changes to Reform’s ownership structure.

Summary

Reform Cuts Benefits

Reform in August 2026 said it will cut the benefits bill by £50 billion.
The party will abolish Personal Independence Payment and the health element of universal credit, merging them into one payment.
Reform aims to deport 600,000 migrants, a figure its grassroots supporters deem modest.
The First 100 Days plan cuts the personal tax allowance increase to £15,000, not £20,000.
Reform-controlled councils have prioritized pothole repairs and municipal debt reduction.

History

Historical Context

UKIP, founded in 1993 by Nigel Farage, grew from a single-issue Eurosceptic group to win 12 % of the 2014 European Parliament vote and force David Cameron’s 2016 Brexit referendum, which passed 52 % to leave the EU. After the referendum Farage formed the Brexit Party, now Reform UK, which is courting ex-Conservative MPs and proposing a £50 billion welfare cut.

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Farage Adds MPs

Reform UK added two former Conservative MPs to Nigel Farage’s top team within a month of their defection.
Nigel Farage rebranded the Brexit Party as Reform UK in early 2021.
Reform secured 14% of the vote and five seats in the July 2024 general election.
After the election, Farage pledged tighter candidate vetting and changes to Reform’s ownership structure.

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