Reform UK, a relatively new far-right party, has been struggling with internal strife over leadership and party structure, as well as questions over funding, just as some polls show its popularity surging to first place.
Details. Member of Parliament (MP) Rupert Lowe has challenged Nigel Farage’s leadership, saying Reform needed to "change from being a protest party led by the messiah into being a properly structured party with a frontbench". He then put himself forward as a possible replacement.
► Farage rejected these criticisms. He said that Reform was not just a "protest party". He then said that without him, Lowe wouldn't have had a "cat's chance in hell" of becoming an MP.
► Farage has previously pledged to democratise the party, and earlier this year moved to make it a non-profit organisation. However, he retains control of the executive committee and has made it difficult to remove himself from his position.
Context. Following the Conservative Party's landslide defeat in the 2024 election, voters and donors are looking for a new party to support. Reform UK has grown in popularity, even overtaking Labour for a time.
► Donors are considering shifting their support from the Conservative Party to Reform UK. But even so, Reform's registered donations remain weak, receiving £281k at the end of 2024 compared to the Conservatives' £3.4m. It even lags behind the so-called "Communist Party of Britain's" £300k.
► Elon Musk, the richest man in the world —who was considering donating to Reform —tweeted that "the Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn't have what it takes", having previously endorsed Tommy Robinson of the far-right English Defence League, and now signalling an interest in an alternative far-right party, should Lowe decide to form one.
► Lowe is currently suspended from Reform due to bullying allegations. This came after his interview in the Daily Mail where he criticised Farage. Lowe has claimed that the independent investigator appointed to the case was shocked by the “unfair” process taken against himself—however, the investigator then denied this assertion.
Important to know. Labour's electoral victory (with one of the lowest turnouts in history) cannot solve the contradictions of capitalism. As conditions worsen, voters have begun to look elsewhere for solutions. This partly explains the rise in popularity of the far right —a process observed in many European countries.
► But Farage's inability to secure funding from Elon Musk shows that the party is not yet ready to take power. However, Musk's interest in a potential alternative suggests that a more organised far-right project could emerge, as he seeks a party which will more adequately represent the interests of American capital in the UK — as the Labour Party still attempts to remain economically close to the EU bloc. Musk also supports the AfD in Germany, which fulfils a similar role as to what he is seeking in the UK.
► The left is in an even weaker position. Despite higher registered donations than Reform, the Communist Party of Britain (CPB) has almost no influence among the working class or in broader politics, raising the question: If they earn more than Reform but remain marginal, what exactly are they doing with all that money?
Conclusion. As the crisis in Britain deepens, the two mainstream parties in the UK have largely discredited themselves in the eyes of both workers and capitalists, who now seek a new political force. Although Reform aims to be this force, the splits demonstrate the struggle within the capitalist class of the UK about the direction to take the country, and Musk’s interest in the situation shows the web of imperialist relations that Britain is tangled in. With an absence of a strong communist movement —which is the fault of the CPB and others — the working class is generally either falling into political apathy or is tricked into supporting the far-right.