Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party is exploring the possibility of setting up branches and contesting elections in Northern Ireland, they have told the Belfast Telegraph.
In a message to their members, the party said: “We are reaching out to explore the possibility of developing Reform UK’s presence in Northern Ireland.”
“While we’ve seen strong growth across much of the UK, we’re now looking to understand whether there is local interest and appetite for building something meaningful in Northern Ireland, and we want to hear from our members first.”
“At this early stage, we’re simply trying to identify individuals who may be interested in… helping set up interim branches, co-ordinating local activity, being a local point of contact.”
Reform has over 1,000 members in Northern Ireland.
Agreement with the TUV
In March 2024, the TUV leader Jim Allister announced an electoral partnership with Reform UK – when it was led by Richard Tice.
When Nigel Farage took over as Reform’s leader, their partnership undoubtedly suffered when he endorsed Sammy Wilson and Ian Paisley of the DUP for the general election in June 2024. Ian Paisley was up against Jim Allister in North Antrim.
A Reform UK spokesperson told the Belfast Telegraph that the partnership with the TUV ended last year, and they were not currently aligned with any NI party.
