As Reform battled a political and media crisis beyond the confines of its conference, members inside the NEC secure zone appeared unfazed. If anything, they were infuriated by Channel 4’s undercover investigation into the party’s donation practices.
The Spectator spoke to members and activists from across the country. Asked for their reaction to the documentary, the overwhelming response was that the undercover investigation amounted to little more than an establishment stitch-up. For the Reform faithful, the stakes facing the country are simply too high to abandon the only party they believe can put Britain back on track – whatever the undercover footage revealed.
One student remarked: ‘I think the timing of it is rather interesting. We all know how Channel 4 played it at the last general election. It’s looking like there could be an early election. All I’ll say is I find it quite suspect.’ Another youngster agreed: ‘I think it was just more of the same from the establishment media. They’re trying to put out these hit pieces – trying to discredit Reform.’
Wolverhampton councillor Celia Hibbert told The Spectator: ‘It doesn’t faze me because I’ve been in politics for a long time. This is politics. When you start to beat your opponents, what do you expect them to do? They’re going to have to fight you.’
Among some Reform insiders, there was hope that the debacle would not linger too long in the public consciousness beyond Birmingham. One senior source noted that most people have never heard of James Orr or long-time top aide Dan Jukes and predicted that the story would therefore fade. They added that few people would watch the documentary from start to finish and that Farage’s speech would revive any energy sapped by the exposé.
Others in Reform, however, are more sceptical. They have privately vented their frustration both at the timing of the footage and at the behaviour of Jukes and Orr.
Reform has an iron grip on its core base of around 18–20 per cent. But that is not enough to form a government, particularly in the face of a tidal wave of tactical voting by members of the public who are ABF – anyone but Farage. For what it is worth, however, attendees here remain steely in their determination to see the party succeed.
One grandmother told The Spectator: ‘Our forefathers fought for us to get us a better life. They lost their lives. We are now fighting for our children and future generations. This country has just really gone downhill.’
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