Reform UK is planning to make a major announcement within hours as it sets out plans to hammer the Tories and Labour at the start of what is almost certain to be an election year.
Express.co.uk understands the press conference will feature a “personal announcement” from a key player in the party.
Party leader Richard Tice and guests including deputy leader Ben Habib will be at the Conrad Hilton in central London to outline some “key strategic lines” at a time when the eurosceptic outfit is polling at around 10 percent.
There has also been feverish speculation that former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, Reform UK’s honorary president, is poised to take a more active role in campaigning – and may even be preparing to stand as a candidate in the nationwide poll.
Speaking to Michelle Dewsbury on GB News last night, Mr Habib said: “If you vote for the Conservatives, what are you going to get?
“They’ve delivered high taxation, they’ve delivered massive spending, they’ve delivered massive borrowing.
“They’ve turned their backs on the history and culture values of the United Kingdom.
“They’ve opened up our borders to record legal migration and completely uncontrolled illegal migration.
“Why would you think that they deserve to be in office any more than Keir Starmer does who doesn’t deserve to be in office either.”
Mr Habib, a former Brexit Party MEP who is CEO of commercial property fund manager First Property Group plc, added: “Reform UK didn’t form in order to be a weather vane or some kind of navigating yardstick for the Conservative Party.
“We came about because people like me, who would otherwise be perfectly happy running their business, were tearing their hair out at the state of the nation and the inability of either party to govern.”
Mr Farage has so far been coy about his future plans – but Tory MP Lee Anderson, the party’s deputy chairman and a prominent Brexiteer, yesterday made it clear he sees the ex-Ukip leader as having the potential to throw a spanner in the works.
Also speaking on GB News, he said: “Reform UK are a bigger threat to the country than the Labour party. If Reform pick off a lot of Conservatives at the next election we will end up with a Labour Government. A Labour Government is the last thing I want because I love my country, I love my country to bits.
“And I am sure Nigel in his heart of hearts loves this country – in fact I know he does – but he runs the risk of losing a lot of Tory seats, seats like mine, to put some Labour Remainers, Remoaners, back in power.”
“And you know what that means? It’s a back door entrance back into European Union.”
Mr Anderson, who claimed he was “offered a lot of money” to join Reform UK himself, also suggested Mr Farage would throw his hat into the ring.
He explained: “I will say this. I’m not saying Reform UK is a one man party, but he is the figurehead.
“He does a great job. But if they want to make any inroads then he has to stand.”
