Reform UK conference: Farage says party should model Lib Dems and Anderson rips up TV licence

Reform UK should model itself on the Liberal Democrats, Nigel Farage has said.

The party leader said Reform needed to emulate the Lib Dems’ strength on the campaign trail.

“There is a template for this, and I never thought I’d say this, but we need to learn from the Liberal Democrats,” he told Reform’s party conference on Friday.

“Now, that doesn’t mean that you’ll see me cascading like waterfalls and I won’t behave in a way that I think is particularly stupid.

“The Liberal Democrats build branches and the Liberal Democrats win seats at district, council and unity level... The Liberal Democrats put literature through doors in their target areas.

“Despite the fact they haven’t got any policies at all, in fact the whole thing’s really rather vacuous, but they managed with a vote much lower than ours to win 72 seats in Parliament.”

Mr Farage made the remarks during a speech to cheering activists in Birmingham in which he vowed to “professionalise” the party and said “amateurism” let it down at the general election.

“I also promise you that in future, we will be vetting candidates rigorously at all levels,” he said.

Reform’s other MPs – James McMurdock, Rupert Lowe, Lee Anderson and Richard Tice – also made speeches, as well as party chairman Zia Yusuf.

06:04 PM BST

That’s all for today

Thank you for following The Telegraph’s live politics coverage. Here are today’s key developments:

• Rachel Reeves has “damaged the economy” with repeated warnings of tax rises in next month’s Budget, the former boss of Sainsbury’s said

• Jess Phillips described the row over Lord Alli’s donations to Labour as an “annoying” distraction

• It emerged that Sir Keir Starmer, Ms Reeves and Angela Rayner will no longer accept free clothing

• Ann Widdecombe told the Reform UK conference that prisoners should be put in disused holiday camps

• Rupert Lowe said Covid vaccinations were “forced on millions of people” during the pandemic

• Lee Anderson ripped up a letter telling him to pay his TV licence fee live on stage

• Richard Tice branded Ed Miliband the “chief zealot” of net zero and a “danger to our economy”

• Nigel Farage admitted that “amateurism” let down Reform at the general election and said the party must model itself on the Liberal Democrats’s election campaigns

05:50 PM BST

Watch: Farage’s Starmer glasses quip

05:35 PM BST

Lord Alli demanded crackdown on ‘bullying’ newspapers

One of Sir Keir Starmer’s most prominent donors demanded a crackdown on “bullying newspapers”, reports Deputy Political Editor Daniel Martin and reporter Jacob Freedland.

Lord Alli, the Prime Minister’s largest personal donor, called for restrictions on the number of newspapers that a proprietor could own.

He also called for a new offence of “corporate intimidation” to tackle what he called the “bullying” of public figures by newspapers.

On Wednesday night, Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, said she had not met Lord Alli to discuss any of these ideas, and said she had no plans to tighten regulation of the press.

The forthright comments by the peer may heighten fears that the party could give into his demands to restrict press freedom in return for his donations.

Read the full story here.

05:22 PM BST

Pictured: Balloons cascade as Farage ends speech

05:13 PM BST

Breaking: We’ll stop taking free clothes, say Starmer and Rayner

Sir Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves will not accept free clothing in the future, reports Ben Riley-Smith.

Number 10 sources have confirmed that the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor will make the change.

It comes after Labour MPs called for Sir Keir to vow to stop taking gifts following days of negative headlines about his use of donations, including for clothes.

The Labour leader and his wife had accepted money from the Labour peer Lord Alli for clothing, with Sir Keir also getting donations for new glasses.

Read the full story here.

05:06 PM BST

Farage ends speech: ‘We don’t care about skin colour’

In a rousing end to his speech, Nigel Farage closed the first day of Reform’s conference by saying: “We don’t care about skin colour, we don’t care about orientation, we couldn’t care who you are.

“We care whether you share the values of this country, we care about whether you’re obeying the rules. We’ll judge you on who you are as a person – isn’t that what everybody wants? Isn’t that what we’re going to fight for?

“Can we succeed? Can we make history? Are you going to make history? Thank you very, very much indeed.”

A cascade of balloons in party colours then dropped from the ceiling, which Mr Farage proceeded to kick around the stage.

05:01 PM BST

Farage gives scathing verdict on Tory leadership candidates

Nigel Farage offered a scathing verdict on all four Conservative leadership candidates.

On Tom Tugendhat and Kemi Badenoch, he said: “One of them is campaigning as a Liberal Democrat, one of them thinks that having worked in McDonald’s for a week makes them working class”.

Turning to Robert Jenrick, he said: “One of them appears to have had a Damascene conversion from being part of the establishment and the established view to suddenly saying things that many of us agree with, but lacks any discernible personality whatsoever and would lead a deeply divided party split in two.”

And insulting James Cleverly, he said: “The last of the four has got the most inappropriate surname I’ve ever come across in my life that indicates an IQ rather than the higher than it actually is.

“And the truth is I don’t give a damn who the next leader of the Conservative Party is. The brand is bust, the brand is broken, people won’t go back to them.”

05:00 PM BST

Pictured: Farage comes on stage to pyrotechnics backdrop

04:54 PM BST

Farage: Reform UK must learn from Lib Dem campaigns

Nigel Farage has said Reform UK must learn from the Liberal Democrats’s election campaigns, Dominic Penna writes.

Noting that Reform now has 266 constituency associations, Mr Farage said: “It’s about building teams, it’s about having unity, and it’s through the branches that we get those structures.

“There is a template for this, and I never thought I’d say this, but we need to learn from the Liberal Democrats.

“Now, that doesn’t mean that you’ll see me cascading like waterfalls and I won’t behave in a way that I think is particularly stupid. The Liberal Democrats build branches and the Liberal Democrats win seats at district, council and unity level... The Liberal Democrats put literature through doors in their target areas.

“Despite the fact they haven’t got any policies at all, in fact the whole thing’s really rather vacuous, but they managed with a vote much lower than ours to win 72 seats in parliament.

“So not only am I giving you the shares of the party, I’m actually giving you the responsibility for making this a success.”

04:53 PM BST

Reform members to vote on new constitution on Saturday

Reform UK members will vote on a new party constitution on Saturday, reports Dominic Penna.

“We don’t want extremists, we don’t want bigots, we don’t want people who think that way, because we represent the silent majority of people in our great country,” Nigel Farage said.

“The time has come, the infant that Reform UK was growing up. We had the teenage tantrums which were those that caused us harm in the general election. But we’re now at a different part. This party is an adult and this weekend is when Reform UK comes of age.

“So I’ve got to make and I want to make the necessary adjustments. There will be a vote tomorrow on a constitution for the party. We changed the structure of the party, no longer will be a company guaranteed by shares... You, the members, will own this party, not me.”

04:44 PM BST

‘Amateurism’ let down Reform at the election, admits Farage

Nigel Farage has admitted that “amateurism” let down Reform UK at the general election.

“At that stage of our development, we weren’t big enough, wealthy enough, professional enough to vet general election candidates properly, and that amateurism let us down,” he said.

“We could have won a lot more votes and there are lessons we need to learn from that. So as I stood in the count in Clacton in those early hours, I said yes of course I would represent the constituency, the constituents in Parliament.

“But I had a job, and my job was to professionalise and to democratise Reform UK. That was the honest and solemn promise that I made to you, the members.”

Mr Farage said having Zia Yusuf as the new Reform chairman “has already made a massive difference” in making Reform more professional.

He added: “I also promise you that in future, we will be vetting candidates rigorously at all levels.”

04:43 PM BST

Pictured: Farage takes to the stage at Reform UK conference

04:42 PM BST

Farage reflects on return to frontline politics

After taking to the stage to indoor pyrotechnics and to the sound of Eminem’s Without Me, Nigel Farage reflected on his return to frontline politics during the general election, reports Dominic Penna.

“I thought to myself we’ve just had 14 years of Conservative government and the last few years since Boris won in 2019 has been one of a complete breach of trust with the British public,” Mr Farage said.

“I thought, we have left, but have we taken back control of our own borders? I thought about what mass uncontrolled migration on a scale the likes of which we’ve never seen had done to divide our communities.

“I looked at the facts that frankly without massive public borrowing, there would have been no growth in our economy for year after year after year. An NHS in which you can’t get a GP appointment, roads that are clogged behind comprehension. And frankly I thought to myself Britain is broken.

“And I thought to myself, and I couldn’t help it, if Britain is broken, then Britain needs reform. So I was really in a terrible quandary as to what to do, genuinely. And then when I went down to Dover for a day, I went to Skegness with Richard, Lee in Ashfield. And I had people speaking to me almost as if I was letting them down by not giving up my lovely life.”

Mr Farage said in the end there were “two achievable goals” of winning millions of votes and getting a few Reform MPs elected, adding: “I am proud to say that in the early hours of July 5, both of those achievable objectives were realised.”

04:36 PM BST

Farage comes on stage accompanied by pyrotechnics

Nigel Farage has arrived on stage with pyrotechnics blaring.

The Reform UK leader walked out to “Without Me” by Eminem and began his speech by searching his pockets.

“Just give me a second,” he said, before pulling out a pair of glasses.

He said: “Do you like them? Very expensive. But guess what: I bought them myself. How about that?”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has received “multiple pairs of glasses” from a donor.

04:28 PM BST

Reform will ‘build best ground campaign in country’ by next election, says Yusuf

Zia Yusuf said Reform will “build the best ground campaign in the country” by the next general election, reports Dominic Penna.

“By 2029, Reform UK will be ready to be the party of government and a prime minister Farage will embark on the most ambitious and bold reforms this country has seen in our lifetimes,” he said.

“Now we have been told by the sceptics that we cannot achieve this. The same cynics said we could never escape the vice-like grip of the European Union. They said we could never win any parliamentary seats.

“Nigel Farage has already proven those doubters wrong in the way that only he can… The indomitable spirit of the British people will prevail.

“Our great country has seen darker times than this. Each time proud patriots like the ones in this room have emerged at its time of need. Each time Britain has emerged stronger than ever. Inspired by Nigel Farage’s example, we will never bow to the mob… This is a battle for the soul of this nation and we will not yield.”

04:19 PM BST

Yusuf: Reform can win the next election

Zia Yusuf has said Reform UK can win the next general election, reports Dominic Penna.

He told delegates in Birmingham: “While this great country may be on its knees, patriots across this country are standing up across this country, patriots like the great men and women of Reform, and saying ‘no, we are not having it!’.

“We are building a movement in this country the likes of which has never been seen. We are mobilising, organising, galvanising. We are going to build a grassroots, election-winning machine.

“If we do that, and if you do that with us, then ladies and gentlemen we will win the next general election.”

Mr Yusuf added: “British values and our very civilisation have come under all-out assault. It is down to us, it is down to you, to protect and celebrate the miracle of British values.

“These are the values of equality before the law, the presumption of innocence, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, these are the values that have been exported across the globe, have given rise to the United States, to Canada, to Australia. British values are the ideas under which humans come to flourish.”

04:16 PM BST

Reform has ‘wind in its sails’, says Yusuf

Reform UK’s new chairman Zia Yusuf said his party was “fired up” and “have the wind in our sails”, writes Dominic Penna.

He told the party’s annual conference at Birmingham that Reform had now opened hundreds of branches across the country and had grown in the polls since the election.

“We have all the momentum in British politics and we are just getting started,” Mr Yusuf said.

“But we meet, ladies and gentlemen, at a time of great peril for our country. Working people in Britain feel betrayed, demoralised, they see the nation and the culture that we love being robbed from underneath us.

“Many of them fear walking to the local store, lest they fall to the knife crime epidemic the Westminster elite are too cowardly to curtail... But as awful as Labour are, they are no more than the Tories on fast forward.”

04:11 PM BST

Pictured: Anderson rips up TV licence letter

04:07 PM BST

Miliband ‘the chief zealot of net zero’, says Tice

Richard Tice has branded Ed Miliband the “chief zealot” of net zero and a “danger to our economy”, reports Genevieve Holl-Allen.

The Reform MP for Boston and Skegness said of Mr Miliband: “He is the chief zealot. He really is. He’s absolutely obsessed. In the chamber, he’s like a man possessed.”

He added: “I actually had to leave the chamber. My blood was boiling. It’s unbelievable. He wants to cover all our farmland, my constituency of fertile land, he wants to cover it with solar panels.

“He doesn’t care about blighting the countryside with hundreds and thousands of huge, 50-metre pylons, including across my constituency.

“This man is a danger to our economy. He’s the most dangerous man in Britain.”

He added: “The first thing we’ll do when we win the general election folks is scrap net zero.”

04:05 PM BST

Pictured: Holly Valance dons cowboy hat at Reform UK conference

04:02 PM BST

Tice mocks Starmer over gifts

Richard Tice has mocked Sir Keir Starmer over the row over the Prime Minister accepting freebies.

The deputy leader told the Reform UK conference: “Now I must declare an interest here. It’s important to declare this interest. I have paid for my own suit”

He said: “I remember, back in January, I came across this funny word: Starmageddon.

“Even the Daily Mail is now using it. The issue is, I didn’t realise after 11 weeks of Labour government, we’d be talking about Starmergeddon on steroids.”

In a jibe over the winter fuel allowance, He added: “Sponger Starmer. Do I call him Scrounger Starmer? Do I call him Free Gear Keir, or do I call him Starmer, the Granny Harmer? Unbelievable.”

03:52 PM BST

Watch: Anderson rips up TV licence fee letter live on stage

Lee Anderson has ripped up a letter telling him to pay his TV licence fee live on stage at the Reform UK party conference.

Speaking in Birmingham on the first day of the gathering, he told activists: “My message is simple. We are a great country, and if you don’t like our heritage, our values and our culture, then clear off.

“When we make mistakes, we should apologise. And we have been responsible for some awful things – things like the BBC.”

Mr Anderson proceeded to say he had received a letter reminding him to pay his licence fee. He then asked the audience: “What do you think I should do with this?”

After chants of “tear it up”, he ripped up the letter in front of the cheering crowd.

03:51 PM BST

Anderson tells people who do not like British history to ‘clear off’

Lee Anderson has told people who do not like British history or values to “clear off”, writes Dominic Penna.

he said: “It’s not controversial to defend our history, our heritage and our country… We are the greatest country in the world when it comes to inventions, yet we cannot invent anything to stop the small boats.”

Reeling off a list of authors and poets, Mr Anderson said at the end: “And the greatest cultural hero of our time, Jim Davidson.”

There was a pause for applause for the comedian, who is present at the Reform UK conference here in Birmingham

He added: “My message is simple. We are a great country, and if you don’t like our heritage, our values and our culture, then clear off.

“When we make mistakes, we should apologise. And we have been responsible for some awful things – things like the BBC.”

03:47 PM BST

Sadiq Khan should be ‘booted out of office’, says Anderson

Reform UK chief whip Lee Anderson has doubled down on his criticisms of Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, writes Dominic Penna.

Mr Anderson had suggested Islamists had “got control” of Mr Khan, who dismissed and heavily criticised the remarks at the time.

Speaking at the annual Reform conference, Mr Anderson said: “In my opinion he has given his capital city away and he should be thoroughly ashamed of himself.”

“I was told at the time I must apologise to Labour’s Mayor of London. Let me tell you now, conference, I will never apologise to that man. Let’s look at his track record, overall crime up 31 per cent, knife crime 51 per cent, sexual offences, 51 per cent… It should be him who is apologising to the people of London.

“He’s got a cheek to tell us that he doesn’t feel safe in London, let that sink in. He’s got bodyguards, armoured cars, 24 hour security. He’s in charge of the Met Police and he doesn’t feel safe?

“How does he think the 10 million people who live in London feel under his leadership? This man needs booting out of office for the sake of London.”

03:44 PM BST

Anderson takes aim at police response to ‘grey-haired vegan’ protesters

Lee Anderson took aim at the Metropolitan Police and its response to environmental protesters as he continued his speech, reports Dominic Penna.

He said: “Imagine telling folk on the picket lines of the 80s that in the future that a load of undernourished grey-haired vegans in their sixties could turn up in their Jesus sandals and bring London to a standstill whilst the Met police stood by and did nothing apart from dance the Macarena and admire the latest rainbow on their police cars.”

03:43 PM BST

Anderson: Net zero is a ‘load of rubbish’

Net zero is a “load of rubbish”, Lee Anderson has said.

He told Reform UK conference: “What about net zero? What a load of rubbish that is. Let me tell you, these lunatics that keep banging on about net zero.

“Let me tell you about Drax power station in Yorkshire, North Yorkshire. This is a power station that used to burn coal from a nearby coal mine. Now, what’s it burn? Now it burns wood. Genius.

“This wood, by the way, comes from America. We are literally chopping down forests and trees and putting them on diesel guzzling cargo ships sailing across the Atlantic, setting fire to them in Drax power station, and that’s classed as renewable energy.”

Reform UK conference attendees booed and loudly shouted “no” as Mr Anderson mentioned net zero.

The audience immediately began to boo and jeer with some audience members at the back of the hall loudly shouting “no”.

03:38 PM BST

Schools teach children to be a different gender, says Anderson

Lee Anderson, the Reform UK MP for Ashfield, is now on stage and has said children are “taught they could be a different gender” in Britain’s schools.

“You know, I remember a time when our children went to school and they were taught how to read and write and become good citizens,” he said.

“They were not taught they could be a different gender. They didn’t have to listen to a 6ft5 bearded drag queen read a story to them.

“I want this nonsense to stop. Let children be children, they’ll make their own mistakes, they’ll figure it out when they get to 18.

“I want my country back and the country I want back will not tolerate this nonsense.”

03:34 PM BST

Man dragged out of Reform conference by security

A man was dragged out of the main hall by security guards towards the end of Rupert Lowe’s speech by security at Reform UK’s conference here in Birmingham, reports Dominic Penna.

It was not immediately clear whether the man was a delegate or a protester.

03:30 PM BST

Blair, Mandelson and Campbell booed at Reform UK conference

Reform UK members loudly booed the names of Sir Tony Blair, Lord Mandelson and Alastair Campbell as they were accused of having “conspired to undermine our written constitution”, writes Genevieve Holl-Allen.

Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, claimed that the 1997 Labour government had empowered “unaccountable, unelected quangos”.

He told the crowd: “Parliament is the elected assembly wielding sovereign power, with the monarch as the titular head, and the Lords providing continuity and guidance.

“This formula served as well until 1997 when Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell, conspired to undermine our written constitution through malignant legislation of empowering unaccountable, unelected quangos, regulators and the EU at the expense of parliamentary power.”

The list of new Labour figures was met with very loud booing by the hundreds of conference attendees in the main conference hall, which was over three-quarters full.

03:26 PM BST

Lowe: Scrap all diversity roles in the public sector

Rupert Lowe has called for the scrapping of all diversity roles in the public sector.

“Let’s scrap every diversity related role in a vastly reduced public sector and judge people on merit,” he said to enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.

Reform UK activists also cheered loudly for the defunding of the BBC and an end to 20mph speed limits.

Mr Lowe also called for a complete end to devolution and significant reductions to legal immigration.

“To put it simply, we are full,” he said.

03:22 PM BST

Reform needs to restructure to win the election, says Lowe

Reform UK needs to “restructure into a proper political party” to win the next general election, Rupert Lowe has said.

The Great Yarmouth MP said: “Reform has now established a beachhead in Parliament, which Nigel identified as our primary aim.

“We need to restructure into a proper political party, fight and win local elections at both county and borough level and carefully select our team of candidates to win the next general election.

“First past the post has its issues, but our five MPs have proved that we can win in that system, and when the dam bursts, it will do so spectacularly.”

He added: “Then, and only then, can we deliver the changes that this country so desperately needs. Let’s end two-tier policing, ensuring that the law is applied fairly and equally to all.”

03:16 PM BST

Lowe: Terms like ‘hate speech’ obstruct dissent in modern Britain

Terms such as “hate speech, transphobia and Islamophobia” obstruct “dissent”, Rupert Lowe has told the Reform UK conference.

“The Equality Act of 2010, for which there was no need, has given legal force and backing to minorities to impose their will and views on the majority,” he said.

“This has fostered the rise of the rule of lawyers, not the rule of law, created unnecessary division in the country and suppressed free speech across society.

“Terms like hate speech, transphobia and Islamophobia have effectively obstructed any dissent.

“Doubt and victimhood have been encouraged, resulting in young people submitting to, rather than dealing with, their problems citing mental health issues.”

03:14 PM BST

Covid jabs ‘forced on millions of people’, says Lowe

Covid vaccinations were “forced on millions of people” during the pandemic, Rupert Lowe has said.

“Collectivism undermines individual responsibility and fosters a culture of rule by committee,” he told the Reform UK conference.

“A committee adopts the intellect of the member with the lowest IQ, encourages manipulation and makes bad decisions.

“Recent examples in the UK include the Post Office scandal, the infected blood scandal, the Covid response in entirety, including forcing an experimental jab on millions of people, HS2, test and trace, EU membership and almost anything that the Government touches.

“They foster a dependency culture and lose sight of the fact that governing means serving the electorate who empower them.”

The crowd cheered loudly when Mr Lowe mentioned Covid vaccinations.

03:08 PM BST

Lowe: ‘Refreshing paucity of rainbow lanyards’ at Reform conference

Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, has now taken to the stage to say that there is a “refreshing paucity of rainbow lanyards” at Reform UK conference.

“Conference, what a pleasure it is to be here today surrounded by so many like-minded people concerned about the state of our nation, with a refreshing paucity of rainbow lanyards in evidence,” he said.

02:51 PM BST

Put prisoners in disused holiday camps, Ann Widdecombe tells Reform conference

Prisoners should be put in disused holiday camps, Ann Widdecombe has told the Reform UK conference.

Ms Widdecombe, the party’s immigration and justice spokeswoman, used her speech at the annual Reform gathering to urge novel solutions to the overcrowding crisis in Britain’s jails.

Criticising the Government’s early release scheme, she reflected on how she had brought in a prison ship from the United States during her time as a Tory prisons minister in the 1990s, while also using disused water cabins from decommissioned oil rigs.

“You take temporary measures to supply those new places. It isn’t rocket science,” Ms Widdecombe said.

“I even suggested, but the election got in the way, that they could take over a disused holiday camp.

“You put a security perimeter, and lo, you’ve got a low-security prison. Of course, you do take away the swimming pool and the cinema before that.”

02:45 PM BST

Pictured: Holly Valance at Reform conference

02:38 PM BST

Lammy smiles as he walks out of No 10

David Lammy smiled as he walked out of No 10 amidst a row over an “improper” blog post where the Foreign Secretary wrote Azerbaijan had been able to “liberate” its territory in a conflict described as ethnic cleansing.

The disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region was internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but had been governed by ethnic Armenians, most of whom are Christian.

Azeri forces attacked the region in Sep 2023 leading some 100,400 ethnic Armenians to flee because of the threat of ethnic cleansing.

After the invasion, there were allegations of war crimes, including the murder of Armenian civilians.

In a Substack newsletter published in September last year, the Foreign Secretary wrote that “Azerbaijan has been able to liberate territory it lost in the early 1990s”.

Alicia Kearns, the Conservative MP and former chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said: “This marks a significant shift in the UK’s language and position. It’s highly improper to change UK policy via a blog. Urgent clarity is needed as to why this comment was published.”

Read the full story here.

02:01 PM BST

UK on brink of ‘civil unrest’ following August riots, TV star tells Reform conference

Ant Middleton, the former star of Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Wins, has warned that Britain is on the brink of “civil unrest”.

Speaking at the Reform UK conference, the former soldier appeared to refer to the unrest last month that followed the Southport killings.

He said: “What’s happening on our streets right now? Violence. We are at a very important and crucial stage before we teeter into civil unrest. And we want to avoid that.

“But it’s coming, we are on that edge where violence has hit our streets… The next step is going to be a lot worse unless we get a grip of it right now.

“We need the umbrella identity of British culture. British culture needs to be at the forefront of everything.”

01:46 PM BST

Starmer ‘less sensible than King Canute’, Ann Widdecombe says

Sir Keir Starmer is “less sensible than King Canute” with his approach to tackling the small boats crisis, Ann Widdecombe has said, Genevieve Holl-Allen writes.

The Reform UK migration spokesman said that a promise to “smash” the people smuggling gangs “is a bit like promising to eliminate the mafia or eliminate the drug gangs”.

Addressing the Reform conference, Ms Widdecombe said: “Quite honestly if he believes that he can just smash the people smuggling gangs, and somehow turn the tide that way, then he is even less sensible than King Canute.”

King Canute was an 11th century monarch who was known for setting his throne by the sea shore and ordering the tide to stop coming in.

Historians have said that the episode showed the king’s humility by seeking to prove to his courtiers that he does not have the power to control the waves.

01:43 PM BST

Pictured: King Charles joins Angela Rayner to discuss youth violence with Scottish charities

King Charles and Angela Rayner visited a violence reduction centre to hear from charities working on the ground in Cumnock, Ayrshire (western Scotland).

01:24 PM BST

Lord Alli’s Labour donations are an ‘annoying’ distraction, says Jess Phillips

Jess Phillips has described the row over Lord Alli’s donations to Labour as an “annoying” distraction.

Asked on the Today programme if the delays to declaration of gifts such as clothes were “annoying” for her as a minister, the Ms Phillips said: “Look, anything that distracts from us trying to crack on with the work that we want to do – and I’m sure Keir Starmer would say the same thing – is annoying to me.

“But to be perfectly honest, we’ll just still carry on cracking on with what we’re trying to do.”

The comments will be seen as a criticism of Sir Keir and the scale of donations he has accepted.

Labour peer Lord Alli has donated £100,000 to the Prime Minister and around half that sum to Angela Rayner, the Deputy PM.

Lord Alli, a media entrepreneur, also paid for a personal shopper for Sir Keir’s wife as well as designer garments and alterations.

On Thursday, Baroness Harman, the former deputy Labour leader, said Sir Keir should stop trying to “justify” accepting gifts as it is “making things worse”.

12:33 PM BST

Standing ovation for Nigel Farage as he walks into main hall at Reform UK conference

Nigel Farage received a standing ovation as he entered the main hall of the party’s conference at the NEC in Birmingham.

A remix version of Diamonds by Rihanna was the soundtrack for Mr Farage’s arrival.

12:25 PM BST

Boos for Labour raid on winter fuel allowance at Reform conference

Dr David Bull, a former MEP, is getting things underway at the Reform UK conference, Dominic Penna writes.

There were boos for Labour’s winter fuel allowance cuts as Dr Bull said: “Imagine, if you will, a country to allow pensioners to freeze in their own homes, imagine a world where we steal the winter fuel allowance off 10 million pensioners, leaving them worse off.

“This is a country where we already allow 5,000 people to die every single year because they cannot afford to turn their eating on.”

Dr Bull said he was a “doctor by trade” and knew the NHS was “on its knees”, dismissing claims by politicians that the health service is “world-leading”.

Around 4,000 people are gathered here in Birmingham, where a turquoise double-decker bus is to the left of the main stage, which in turn has the backdrop of a giant Union flag.

12:01 PM BST

In Pictures: Reform UK supporters arrive in Birmingham for party conference

Reform UK supporters have started to form long queues outside the NEC in Birmingham as they await speeches from Nigel Farage and Richard Tice.

Merchandise including “Let’s Save Britain” hats and rosettes featuring Mr Farage’s face have been handed out to the party faithful.

Lee Anderson is expected to address the conference at 3.15pm, followed by Mr Tice at 3.30pm and Mr Farage at 4pm.

Stay with us for live updates from the hall. 

11:31 AM BST

Pictured: Reform UK double-decker bus appears beside stage

Reform UK’s iconic double-decker bus has emerged at the party’s conference in Birmingham today.

The turquoise vehicle is emblazoned with slogans: “slash immigration”, “slash the cost of living”.

11:08 AM BST

Lord Alli gave Starmer a ‘fancy suit’ because he looked like he ‘needed’ one

Jess Phillips has suggested that Lord Alli “turned up” to Sir Keir Starmer’s office and saw he “need[ed] a fancy suit”.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, the Home Office minister said: “Probably somebody turned up to his office and said, you need a fancy suit, here’s one, and he probably took it. I don’t know if he was going out and seeking it.”

She added: “You’d be surprised about how many people are obsessed with the way politicians look and try to give unsolicited advice about what you should and shouldn’t wear.”

Asked what motivated Lord Alli to give the Prime Minister the gifts, Ms Phillips said: “He wanted a Labour government. He’s been a peer for many years and probably wanted to support a Labour government.”

10:45 AM BST

Tice ‘very happy’ with new constitution despite criticism from predecessor

Richard Tice has said he’s “very happy” with the party’s new constitution despite criticisms from his predecessor that the party remains undemocratic.

The deputy leader of Reform UK told the PA news agency at the party conference in Birmingham: “We’re going to change the structure, change the constitution and that’s a natural evolution. Nigel committed to that, we did immediately after the election we knew we’re going to do that and so already we’re delivering on it.”

Ben Habib, who held the post before Mr Tice, criticised the new constitution in a video posted yesterday on X, saying: “This is not democracy. This is the technical ability of the membership to ask the board to please consider removing the leader.”

Asked about comments, Mr Tice said: “I’m very happy with the Constitution. Life would be boring if we all agreed with everything.

“And so Ben’s entitled to his view. We’re entitled to our view, we think it’s the right balance and the thing is, the key about leadership is you got to look forward. Let’s not be looking over our shoulder backwards.”

10:14 AM BST

Tice: Farage relationship with Trump is good for UK

Nigel Farage’s relationship with former US President Donald Trump is “to the benefit of this country”, Richard Tice has said.

Asked if he thought the party leader was distracted from his constituency duties by his trips to the US, the Reform UK deputy leader told the PA News Agency: “Far from it.

“But as a leader of a party that is now becoming mainstream, international affairs, our relationship with our most important, strategic international partner- the US - is very important and the world will be a safer place if Donald Trump wins the presidential election.

“Nigel’s strong relationship with Donald Trump is actually to the benefit of this country and it’s quite right that he cements and strengthens that.”

09:51 AM BST

Pictured: Police prepare for Labour conference

Police in Liverpool have been pictured setting up security measures for Labour conference, due to start in Liverpool this Sunday.

The annual conference typically has over 17,000 attendees.

Delegates from constituencies, trade unions and Left-wing societies from across the UK will vote on policies and motions.

09:14 AM BST

Reeves is ‘damaging the economy’ with Budget gloom

Rachel Reeves has “damaged the economy” by causing a downturn in consumer confidence with her repeated warnings of tax rises in the Budget, the former boss of Sainsbury’s has said.

Asked on the Today programme if the backdrop of bad news in the lead up to next month’s Budget was “damaging the economy” by causing people not to buy things, Justin King said: “Yes, [but] I think you have to do that. I think they’d argue you step backwards before forwards. 
“They’ll want the budget not to feel as bad as people are expecting, so you might as well get the bad news out beforehand.”

The Chancellor has repeatedly warned of looming “difficult decisions” on tax, with experts fearing raids on capital gains, inheritance and pension contributions.

Ms Reeves’ critics suggest the situation is better than she claims. She is being urged to restore winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners after the Bank of England handed the Chancellor a fiscal boost worth up to £10bn.

The Bank said on Thursday it would slow down the sales of government bonds amassed during lockdown. The decision will give Ms Reeves more breathing room at next month’s Budget because of the way the scheme is accounted for on the Government’s balance sheet.

Baroness Altmann, a former pensions minister, encouraged the Chancellor to use the extra headroom to reverse her decision to strip 10m pensioners of a payment of £300 this winter.

08:41 AM BST

Jess Phillips says Serco could face ‘penalties’ for delays to prisoner tags

Jess Phillips has suggested that Serco could face “penalties” for delays in fitting some offenders with electronic tags after they have been released from prison.

Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, was said to be “furious” over the delays, caused by short staffing.

Speaking to LBC News radio, Ms Phillips said she was “disappointed” to learn of the delays, adding: “It’s not the Government who has made the backlog in tags, it is a contract signed with Serco in May this year.”

The Home Office minister went on to say: “The prisons minister, I believe, has had some pretty robust meetings, and is meeting with Serco today, but the contract certainly has in it the allowances for there to be penalties.”

“I’m almost certain that in this case, that unless something massively improves very, very quickly, that all of those things will be considered,” she added.

08:15 AM BST

Pictured: Rachel Reeves hosts event for women in economics

Rachel Reeves was pictured at a Women in Economy event hosted at No. 11 Downing Street on Thursday.

07:54 AM BST

Starmer ‘lived entirely by the rules’, Jess Phillips says

Sir Keir Starmer has “lived entirely by the rules”, Jess Phillips said, after the Prime Minister was criticised for accepting lavish gifts and tickets to football matches.

The Home Office minister told Times Radio: “The Prime Minister has lived entirely by the rules that have governed every single member of Parliament, certainly since I’ve been there - he received gifts and things, and he declared them.”

“Let me tell you, it feels like he’s breathing down my neck to make sure that we’re doing things right in my department,” she added.

07:52 AM BST

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