Reform Hopes The World Of Business Will Flock To Its Party Conference
4 min read
Reform UK is planning a major business presence at its Autumn conference as part of the party's wider bid to show it is a professionalised political force.
The annual gathering held at Birmingham NEC arena, due to take place 5-6 September, could welcome as many as 8,000 people, according to Reform insiders — which, if it materialises, would be around double the attendance at the party's 2024 conference.
At last year's event, the party was buoyant after winning five seats at the July general election.
Fast forward to early summer 2025, with party conference season on the horizon, Nigel Farage's party is eyeing electoral success on a different scale.
The right-wing party continues to lead opinion polls, and at the beginning of this month, won 677 council seats, its first mayoralities, and a by-election in what was a Labour safe seat. Next year, the party is expected to make significant gains in Wales and Scotland — contests that are likely to be a key talking point at this year's conference.
Amid Reform's rise, there are questions over what people should expect from the party's 2025 conference, and how closely it will resemble conference traditions of other parties.
Labour and Tory conferences are usually well-attended by business figures who are keen for face time with politicians, especially ministers. At last year's Labour conference in Liverpool, the first since the party's landslide general election victory, which hosted 20,000 delegates, the particularly heavy corporate presence was a strange sight for activists who were so used to the trappings of being a party of opposition.
Reform insiders are confident that business figures who previously wouldn't have considered showing their face at their event are thinking very differently this year. “Business will be really engaged with Reform this year – they have to now," said one party source.
There are plans for a business reception, fringe events (described as increasing "tenfold" from last year), stalls and drink events, PoliticsHome understands.
In a bid to appeal to sponsors in the run-up to the conference in Birmingham, Reform is offering three levels of sponsorship packages, ranging in cost from £25,000 to £250,000.
The top option, called the ‘accelerator package’, is described as having an “unforgettable impact”, and for £250,000 promises clients VIP access and extensive branding. Perks include a champagne breakfast with Farage, chauffeur-driven travel, four bottles of champagne delivered to the stand, and a custom cocktail in the brand's name at the after party.
Reform is also charging £10,000 for sponsors to have their branding featured on the Reform double-decker bus, emblazoned: “Slash immigration. Slash the cost of living. Boost wages.”
When PoliticsHome asked a number of consultants how their clients were feeling about the prospect of having a presence at the Reform conference, the responses were mixed.
Some parts of the business world are nervous about having a public presence there, one told PoliticsHome. “Clients are quite nervous to do anything publicly. Most of them have an appetite to engage – but behind closed doors," they said.
Some business figures are put off by what they see as a lack of policy detail to engage with.
Several political strategy companies said they would likely send public affairs staff to “scope it out” with a view to sending a bigger delegation to the party's 2026 conference.
However, a figure at another strategy company said it was “important” to attend this year's conference because clients are increasingly curious about Reform’s thinking. They added that they had been “very impressed” at how “front-footed” the party had been to engage.
Another consultant told PoliticsHome: “There's definitely been a huge uptick from clients wanting to understand the party and the direction it's going.”
Reform claims think-tanks of all political persuasions are welcome.
The Adam Smith Institute and TaxPayers' Alliance, think tanks with historic links to the Conservatives, have already told PoliticsHome they will be attending. The Free Speech Union is also expected to be in Birmingham at the start of September.
CEOs of senior house building firms and companies have been in discussions about going, too – no doubt at least partly due to the party’s newfound presence in local government.
For Reform members less interested in the world of business, they can expect to hear from the party's newly-elected office holders: Runcorn and Heslby MP Sarah Pochin, mayors Andrea Jenkyns and Luke Campbell, plus a swathe of new local councillors.
Party insiders are also hoping to line up celebrity appearances. Last year, former popstar and actress Holly Valance was among the attendees, alongside her billionaire husband Nicky Candy, who is now party treasurer. Ant Middleton, former SAS soldier and TV personality, delivered a speech on stage and is now the party’s candidate for London mayor.
Reform-themed, "fun" merchandise will also be available for purchase in abundance, including t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, badges and more.
If Reform’s 2024 conference was a coming of age, then this year's will be an attempt by Farage's party to further underline their claim to be a serious political force.
Additional reporting by Tom Scotson.
