A Reform UK party official stated, “I partook in Brexit – I was part of the campaign”, conveying an energy had been present then, but the current situation is even more significant. This referred to the dramatic increase in the Reform UK’s poll ratings leading up to the 4th of July elections, a party led by Nigel Farage. As crowds gathered in anticipation of a rally, the party official informed them about the rapid pace at which memberships were coming in, at a rate of one new member every 36 seconds.
The venue was the Staffordshire County Showgrounds, nestled in the undulating landscape of the West Midlands, positioned midway between Birmingham and Stoke. Despite Farage’s absence from the gathering, supporters – who arrived early in the afternoon despite the rally being scheduled for 3pm – displayed fervent anticipation. The energy was reminiscent of a theatrical spectacle as politicians received resounding applause, while mentions of their adversaries were greeted with boos.
Amongst the standout figures at the rally were Ben Habib, the dynamic deputy leader; Lee Anderson, a Tory who had crossed over to the Reform UK and was contesting for his Ashfield seat; and the former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe, who is now an active campaigner for the party. They held the attention of an impassioned crowd for nearly five hours, with a live singer adding to the entertainment.
The rally saw the participation of approximately 600 attendees who had each paid £10 online. The expansive function room was bustling with activity as soon as the doors opened at 2.30 pm, particularly around the bar, which remained a hub of activity until the rally wrapped up in the early evening.
A diverse range of attendees graced the event, with men and women in roughly equal proportion. An array of age groups were represented, with seniors making up the largest proportion, but young attendees were far from scarce. The traditional Tory supporters, interspersed with more alternative representatives, including tattooed bikers, constituted a unique mix. The attendees were predominantly white.
Many attendees arrived as couples, while some decided to make a fashion statement. Of note was a large man donning a cowboy hat and a leather waistcoat over a bare chest, and those in turquoise representing the official colour of the Reform Party. A smattering of svelte, suited young men barely out of their teens was also seen, a sight more common at Farage’s functions held closer to London.
[Nigel Farage avers that the EU and Nato ‘instigated’ Russia’s attack on Ukraine.]
Among the political party members, there were some impressively built individuals, including one with a subdued expression, adorned in a lightweight trench coat, attempting to guide people to their chairs.
As an attendee named Marie Thorpe shared, “I am feeling disheartened by the need to drain my savings. The fear for the future and the fear for my granddaughter’s wellbeing is overwhelming.”
Beneath the sea of Reform signs scattered across the chairs, it was noticeable, upon closer observation, that they were merely repurposed Brexit Party boards. The former imprints could be seen if held towards the light. The room was humid, dimly lit, and had an air of congestion. The only source of natural light was from emergency exits left open near the podium that lead to a grassy exterior that functioned as both a designated smoking area and terrace for the lively bar scene.
The excitement escalated when Habib, the keynote speaker, was set to make his appearance. There was a moment of confusion when the area organiser announced his name, only for the next two minutes to be filled by the speaker system playing Eye of the Tiger. The audience began to clap rhythmically, and then Habib appeared, escorted by the sturdy man in the trench coat.
Habib delivered a lengthy, extemporary speech, attacking “globalists”, Tony Blair, the Tories, Labour, civil servants, environmental campaigners, advocates for trans rights, immigrants, and it appeared, everyone else apart from the Reform enthusiasts. What was truly intriguing was the crowd’s reaction to his speech.
The room nearly erupted when Habib made adverse comments about the Covid lockdowns and when he criticised environmentalists. The audience response was significantly subdued when he broached the topic of tax cuts and criticised post-Brexit trade dealings in Northern Ireland, which he likened to a “harpoon that’s hacking away at the integrity of the United Kingdom”.
With fervour, Habib passionately declared his views, his statements underlined by an individual in the audience who continued to exclaim “exactly!” Habib disparaged the portrayals of Reform patrons by the media as extremists, interlacing humour into the discussion by asking if there were any such radicals in the room, to which the same man raised his hand amidst laughter. Indeed, the room swelled with laughter.
As part of Nigel Farage’s Reform team competing for Jacob Rees-Mogg’s spot at the polls, Habib declared the group as ‘nationists’, pitted against the globalists. Despite encountering troubles with the microphone during the Q&A, the room exploded with enthusiastic applause as the session wrapped up.
Tension briefly gripped the room when an elderly man demanded silence from the bar as the noise was drowning out the speeches. Soon after, the occasion took on a festive feel when Samantha Goody, a local lady, took to the stage belting out Labi Siffre’s 80’s hit ‘(Something Inside) So Strong’.
Marie Thorpe, a former NHS worker believed the Reform leaders to be more truthful compared to the Tories, whom she previously supported. Now 66 and retired, she shared her worries about insufficient funds forcing her to rejoin the workforce, her anxieties about the future and concerns for her granddaughter’s wellbeing.
Meanwhile, rally participant Dawn Futcher lamented the lack of conviction among politicians and yearned for leaders with more dynamism, like Johnson and less affable ones like Sunak. Agreeing to converse in the relative quiet of the corridor was Beresford – an engineer associated with water services, a former member of the main political parties, and a Labour representative in the 2019 local elections. He offered his pro-Brexit views, his disagreement with the border down the Irish Sea, and his patriotism. He also revealed it was his wife’s birthday,but he felt obligated to attend the rally.
Widdecombe was warmly welcomed with enthusiasm before delivering a rousing oration that echoed the sentiments expressed by Habib but was less personally offensive. Her call for the navy to thwart migrant attempts to reach Britain by redirecting their vessels was met with the loudest applause.
Relishing a Guinness, was Brian Evans, a stonemason from Wales, dressed in a trilby hat and a turquoise tie. He admitted to not having voted for Brexit due to his residential status in France during the period. However, his time during lockdown involved consuming Farage’s videos on YouTube which led him to endorse Reform. His curiosity about Britain’s puppet master and his subsequent revelation about Davos, along with an increasing dislike for the EU, facilitated his political leaning.
Dawn Futcher, a Telford resident, revealed her shared birthday with Margaret Thatcher, and her long-standing loyalty to the Tory party since her late teens. However, she expressed her dissatisfaction with Rishi Sunak’s excessive affability while fondly acknowledging Boris Johnson’s charisma. She insists that political landscape necessitates fiercer leaders possessing unwavering conviction.
Anderson delivered the concluding speech that included a humorous comment about Travellers paving driveways, which was well-received by the audience. The programme ended on Goody’s performance of an iconic Queen song, “We Want to Break Free”, albeit with altered lyrics.
Following the event’s conclusion, the Reform aficionados vacated the dimly lit venue and its bar. As they stepped into the bright dusk light, they left energized and amused.