Even Farage is bored as Reform falls flat again

It's getting to be quite a habit. Reform UK send out an invitation to attend a press conference with the promise of a "special announcement".

- John Crace

The media attend with high expectations only to be rewarded with a crushing anti-climax.

One turned out to be a 30-minute whinge from Nigel Farage about some local elections being cancelled. Another was the news that Andrea Jenkyns would be standing for mayor in Greater Lincolnshire. Not even her friends give much of a toss about that.

Fair to say, then, that expectations were not high for yesterday's latest special announcement. But we travelled to the Royal Horseguards hotel in Westminster in hope. Maybe this time... A fatwa on Rupert Lowe.

Sadly not. On entering the Gladstone Library we were greeted by the sight of 29 empty seats on a raised stage. Reality cut in. We were going to be offered a handful of councillors who had switched allegiance to Reform.