NIGEL FARAGE’s Reform UK has smashed past the Conservatives in membership numbers, the party has claimed.
A digital counter on its website hit 131,680 on Boxing Day, surpassing Tory numbers revealed during their leadership race in November.
Mr Farage, who was all smiles yesterday at a Boxing Day hunt in Chiddingstone, Kent, hailed the moment as “historic”, adding on X: “The youngest political party in British politics has just overtaken the oldest political party in the world.
“Reform UK are now the real opposition.”
Meanwhile, party chairman Zia Yusuf insisted Mr Farage will be “the next prime minister, and will return Britain to greatness”.
To mark the moment, Reform projected the new membership number onto Conservative Campaign Headquarters on Wednesday night.
But Tory leader Kemi Badenoch hit back, branding the claim “fake” and accusing Mr Farage of “manipulating” supporters at Christmas.
She wrote on X: “How do I know for certain the Reform announcement is not true? Because the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election.
“But we don’t shout about it…we are building quietly and steadily on principles and values, not gimmicks.”
The Tories had 131,680 members eligible to vote in the election that crowned Ms Badenoch leader on November 2 — the lowest on record.
It was a huge drop from the 172,000 members they boasted during the 2022 leadership contest.
Mr Farage fired back, pointing to his 5.4million followers compared to Badenoch’s 320,000.
He said: “We understand you are bitter, upset and angry that we are now the second biggest party in British politics, and that the Conservative brand is dying under your leadership.
“However, this is not an excuse to accuse us of committing fraud.”
