My Reflections on the Reform Annual Conference 2025

I wasn’t sure what to expect at my first political conference, but what I found was energy, hope and moments I’ll never forget.

My First Ever Political Conference

As I write this, I’m still floating on a cloud after the two-day Reform UK annual conference 2025 at the NEC that I’ve recently returned from. Well wow, just wow. What an experience like no other. It was my first ever political event and, honestly, it delivered in every possible way. I had imagined political conferences to be dull affairs but this was nothing of the sort.

A Buzzing Atmosphere

It’s estimated around 10,000 people attended the conference across the two days and the atmosphere was exciting, hopeful, optimistic and full of energy. There were people of almost all ages and backgrounds. I think the youngest person I saw was about 8 years old, with a good number of teenagers and students in their twenties, people in their thirties and forties, right up to those in their eighties.

One 85-year-old gentleman holding two St George’s flags became an icon when, in between speeches on the main stage, he responded to a question from Jeremy Kyle about Keir Starmer, saying:

“I can’t wait to get this bastard out!”

The whole room erupted, cheering, laughing and clapping loudly.

From start to finish, the conference was part politics, part theatre - with big names, pyrotechnics, catchy walk-on music, applause, standing ovations, weighty debates and surprise guests.

In the main hall, there was a Reform London cab, a Reform double-decker bus, a tractor and even a pothole excavator which all added to the spectacle. All these touches served to highlight current issues, lift our spirits and provide a bit of fun and lighten the mood in these sometimes dark, heavy times.

At times, it almost felt like being at a panto, especially with the banter between hosts, Dr David Bull and Jeremy Kyle. There was laughter and gasps. At times the crowd booed loudly for the ‘baddies’ like Sadiq Khan and the 3 protesters who were escorted out of the room and at other times they were cheering their hearts out for the ‘goodies’, like 18-year-old councillor Sienna Church encouraging women to step up and get involved in politics:

“Do it. Be brave. If you have the ambition and the courage, then do it. This is your future and your children's future. If you stay silent, no change is going to happen.”

A particularly powerful moment came when a young man of colour stood up and described his experience of coming to Britain legally. He talked about how much he loves the UK, how grateful he is for all it has given him, and how he doesn’t like being lumped together with those who come to the country via illegal immigration. He emphasised the importance of clarifying to the British people just what legal migrants have to go through to become citizens of the UK. His words were a reminder that Reform is about merit, aspiration and fairness; a true meritocracy where effort and contribution matter. I heard both Laila Cunningham and Zia Yusuf talking about this topic too, highlighting the gratitude they and their parents have to this country for giving them opportunities to work and make a life here and the need for migrants to integrate.

Spotting Famous Faces

There were surreal moments too. One was when Nigel Farage himself walked past with his entourage. Immaculately dressed, smiling at everyone, he stopped to shake my teenagers’ hands and wish them good morning. They were absolutely delighted.

Several times, I spotted Richard Tice, animated and gesticulating as he spoke to a cluster of journalists while cameras followed his every move.

Everywhere I turned there seemed to be another well-known name - Sarah Pochin, Lee Anderson, historian David Starkey, Professor Matt Goodwin and journalists Mike Graham, Alison Pearson, Liam Halligan and Alex Armstrong. It felt as if every time you looked up, you saw another familiar face from either the Reform party or the media.

Meeting Laila Cunningham

One of my personal highlights was meeting Reform Westminster councillor, Laila Cunningham, who’s become well known as the ‘vigilante mum’ for chasing down criminals who targeted her children and also for fearlessly confronting Sadiq Khan in the street about knife crime in London. Her sound views on tackling crime are informed by her experience as a criminal lawyer, time working for the CPS and living in London.

At one point, I spotted her walking past and couldn’t resist going over to tell her how inspiring I find her as a woman in politics. She was warm and genuine, and even took the time to ask my two teenagers what they wanted to do with their lives. In real life, she comes across as gentle and gracious while also being tough and absolutely no-nonsense in the best way possible. I came away with even more admiration for her.

The ‘Lost Boys’ Discussion

One particular session that stayed with me was a talk called Lost Boys, which featured, among others, Lee Anderson MP, Miriam Cates, journalist Isabel Oakeshott and 19-year-old Warwickshire councillor George Finch.

It was a fascinating discussion about the situation facing many young men, especially white working-class boys, who so often feel left behind or treated as second-class citizens. Lee Anderson spoke compassionately about his work with young people in the care system. George Finch shared movingly about his own childhood, when his father became ill and his mother had to step in as the main breadwinner.

The panel put forward a number of ideas to help give boys a boost: giving boys access to vocational training in in-demand skills, encouraging a strong work ethic, promoting marriage and family stability, offering positive role models and creating real opportunities for prosperity and home ownership. It was refreshing to hear such a constructive and hopeful conversation on the topic.

Special Guest Lucy Connolly

When it was announced that Lucy Connolly would be the special guest speaker on Saturday afternoon, the entire hall audibly gasped. As she walked on stage she was greeted with rapturous applause and a standing ovation.

Her story is a harrowing one: 9 months spent in prison under extremely harsh conditions for an ill-thought-out post she deleted within 3 hours, separated from her husband and daughter and manhandled by prison officers. Yet she stood before us calm, composed and deeply courageous. Her determination to work with Reform to help women prisoners rebuild their lives is exemplary.

The Press Frenzy

What I hadn’t anticipated was the sheer number of international press in attendance. It was a testament to how much interest there is in the UK and around the world regarding the growing popularity and rise of Reform UK.

On the first day, my two teenagers were bemused to experience journalists queuing up to interview them as ‘young Reformers’. They ended up giving around eight interviews that day - with the BBC, Times Radio, ITV, The Daily Telegraph, CNN, a German broadcaster, a Finnish broadcaster and a young YouTuber.

They had never spoken to the press before but I’m proud of them for how they handled it. In the end, much of what they said was reduced to a single line or a brief soundbite, which they found surprising as the interviews generally lasted between about 5 and 15 minutes.

One BBC interview came across as somewhat one-sided when shared on social media, which gave them a valuable insight into how media coverage can sometimes shift the meaning of words. Overall, though, the rest of the interviews were pretty accurate in their reporting of what they actually said and meant.

Farage’s Promise

Nigel Farage’s speeches were everything people expected: passionate, sharp, clear and, at times, funny. I remember him saying a while ago in a speech that he was going to have fun doing what he does, and I like that about him. Why should politics be boring? I think that’s one reason he galvanises so many people into action. He shows ordinary people that it’s possible to actually enjoy taking part in the political process.

He’s a man on a mission, utterly determined. At one, point during one of his speeches, he declared:

“All I can do is promise that I will give this everything, I will give this absolutely everything that I’ve got. … No one cares more about the state of this country than I do. I am determined to do something about it.”

Ordinary Conversations

One of the things I enjoyed the most was simply speaking to other Reform members. I met mums, pensioners, small business owners and young workers. Everyone I spoke to was friendly, intelligent, passionate and concerned about the state of the country.

I spent time with some members of my local branch and we left feeling inspired to step up our efforts, whether that’s fundraising, campaigning, preparing for whatever comes next. None of us knows when the next election will be, but the sense of urgency is there.

At the East of England branches stand, we met Reform Braintree interim branch chair, Nathan Robins, and also Epping and Ongar councillor, Jamey McIvor, both charming. I was happy to have the opportunity to tell Jamey what heroines I think his mum, Karen McIvor, and all the pink ladies protesting to shut down the Bell Hotel are.

Karen McIvor spoke during the main speeches and said the people of Epping would keep protesting until the hotel shut down as it’s located very near a local secondary school, and the safety of the young people in the town, especially the girls, is their biggest concern.

Towards the end of the conference, members were asked to stand if they wanted to become councillors. Many people did, and it felt almost like a call to faith at an evangelical rally, with many people committing to play their part. Reform has already won hundreds of council seats, but there is a lot of work still to be done and more council seats to be won.

Policy Announcements

Alongside the atmosphere and speeches, there were plenty of concrete policy pledges. Among the key pledges announced were:

• Tougher borders & law enforcement: halt illegal Channel crossings within two weeks, deport over 10,000 foreign criminals, and reinstate stop-and-search.

• Energy independence: scrap net zero targets and prioritise UK energy sovereignty through domestic production.

• Fairer taxes: abolish inheritance tax, with extra relief for farmers.

• Preparing for power: establish a new Department for Preparing for Government, led by Zia Yusuf.

The Reform Board and Democratization

I found it interesting to hear about the Reform Board and how it works. The governing board is made up of a mix of leadership appointees and members elected by the members.

As of August 2025, the board includes Nigel Farage (Leader), David Bull (Chairman), Dame Andrea Jenkyns and Vice-Chairman Paul Nuttall. Joining them as board members elected by the membership are Dan Barker, Darren Grimes and Gawain Towler.

These board members meet regularly with Nigel and the senior leadership team to raise the concerns of ordinary members and to make sure they’re properly discussed and acted upon. To me, it felt like a genuine attempt to democratise the party and give real power to the people.

Members also had their say at the conference. Three key motions were put forward and all were passed with overwhelming support:

• Repeal the 2008 Climate Change Act and scrap DESNZ, replacing it with a new Independent Energy Security Group.

• Remove what was described as ‘destructive gender ideology’ from public services, while protecting single-sex spaces.

• Re-examine past immigration decisions where safeguards like the Police National Computer and Counter-Terrorist Check were bypassed.
  

A Hopeful Ending

The conference closed on a high with everyone standing to sing God Save the King. I walked out feeling part of something much bigger, something positive.

Reform has made politics fun, exciting and accessible to everyone. Reform is about merit, opportunity, fairness, and, above all, a good dose of common sense.

It feels grassroots rather than top-down, and you don’t have to be a career politician to be involved. Ordinary people are encouraged to take part, and that’s exciting. Nigel Farage summed up the party’s ethos in his speech when he said:

“We don’t care about skin colour, we don’t care about orientation… We care whether you share the values of this country.”

For me, the whole event was a huge confidence boost. I went in curious. I came out encouraged, hopeful, motivated and determined to play my part in helping to turn things around in Britain. I haven’t felt so upbeat about the prospects of Britain being restored to a prosperous, proud nation for a long time.

If you haven’t already done so, you can watch the conference speeches in full in the two YouTube videos below:

Were you at the Reform UK 2025 conference? Have you watched any of the replays of the speeches? Have you been to any of their previous conferences? Have you been to the conferences of other parties? I’d love to hear about your experiences and thoughts. Let me know in the Comments.