Reform UK can learn from Lib Dems on grassroots growth strategy, says Tice

Reform UK plans to mimic the Liberal Democrats in building up a national base of councillors and activists to try to expand its support, the party's deputy leader, Richard Tice, has said before its annual conference.

- Peter Walker Ben Quinn

While the mood will be celebratory, with Tice joining Nigel Farage among five Reform MPs elected on 4 July, there could also be some internal dissent over a planned new party constitution, with one senior party figure saying it would allow Farage to act as an "absolute dictator".

On the first day of the gathering in Birmingham today, there will be speeches from all the MPs, plus Zia Yusuf, the millionaire businessman who, as Reform's new chair, is leading efforts to professionalise the party.

Tice said the immediate focus would be on targeting the main two parties at local elections across England next May. "Not only will the Tories be in disarray but Labour will be unpopular coming out of a winter when, bluntly, pensioners will have died because of their policies. So that's going to be a massive part of our focus," he said.