Reform UK is aiming to win hundreds of council seats and potentially take control of several councils in next month’s local elections.
Senior Conservative figures have acknowledged Reform poses a significant threat in the Midlands and northern England in what will be an acid test for Kemi Badenoch’s leadership.
Looking ahead to May 2026, Reform is reportedly positioning itself for a push at the national level, where a potential pact with the Conservatives could be explored.
Beyond building momentum in local government and expanding its grassroots presence, Reform is also reported to be setting its sights on elections to the Welsh Senedd and Scottish Parliament.
Farage plans to shift focus to winning seats in Wales, with hopes of establishing Reform as a serious contender for power
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Starting next month, Nigel Farage plans to shift focus to winning seats in Wales, with hopes of establishing Reform as a serious contender for power and throwing Welsh Labour’s hold on power into disarray.
Government insiders acknowledge they are facing a tough battle to maintain control in Cardiff, where Labour has remained the dominant party since 1997.
One component of Reform’s operation includes efforts to recruit senior staff from Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ).
The party has also engaged in discussions with former Prime Minister Liz Truss about how to take on “the [Establishment] blob”.
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Truss is said to have offered Nigel Farage’s party guidance on implementing sweeping reforms to the state, which could land Reform on secure footing should they enter Government.
One source told the Times: “It’s not just a case of thinking about policy, it’s about working through delivery in the face of institutional resistance.”
Although both Badenoch and Farage have ruled out any formal pre-election agreements, Reform UK has been polling close to Welsh Labour.
Party insiders believe they could win enough seats in the Senedd to mount a credible bid for power- or potentially pursue a deal with the Conservatives.
However, it comes after Rupert Lowe, one of the five Reform MPs initially elected in the July general election, was ousted from the party in March following a spat with the party’s leadership.
He has launched legal action against the party’s chief whip, Lee Anderson, and chairman, Zia Yusuf, and is threatening to escalate the matter to the High Court unless they withdraw their remarks about him.
Lowe told The Times his rift with Reform was permanent, explaining: “I believe strongly that you don’t build anything with bad people.
“What’s become clear to me is people I worked with and thought I shared a common objective with weren’t good people. What they’ve done and the way they’ve done it is un-Christian and unacceptable.”
He added: “Am I happy being an independent? I’m 67, I’ve gone into this to try and change the way Britain’s governed. I think we’ve got one shot at it between now and 2029, after which we’ll become a lost cause.”
Reform UK insiders have claimed newcomers to the party have only lasted a few weeks due to Yusuf’s “abrasive” leadership style
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Meanwhile, Reform UK insiders have claimed newcomers to the party have only lasted a few weeks due to Yusuf’s “abrasive” leadership style.
A source said: “He runs the place like a financial services company with a mantra of ‘it’s my way or the highway’.”
A source close to Yusuf replied, saying: “Former CCHQ operatives have tried to infiltrate the party, only to be discovered, and then try to destabilise Reform by briefing against the leadership. It won’t work.”
Although the next general election is still some time off, Mark Littlewood, former director of the Institute of Economic Affairs, is calling for a more measured tone between Badenoch and Farage, in case a future electoral pact becomes possible.
“People in both parties should treat each other with respect and courtesy, rather than throwing barbs at each other,” he said. “Marriage tends to follow a long period of dating, showing respect and courtesy.”
