Chronological coverage updated 11th September 2026 05:00.
Update 1 · 11th September 2026
Reform UK Beset by Internal Friction Over Response to Masked Anti-Migrant Protesters
Reform UK is experiencing widespread internal disagreement following Nigel Farage's swift condemnation of masked protesters who staged a harbor blockade in Dover during the final day of the party's annual conference. Farage publicly described the actions of the balaclava-clad activists, belonging to a group named Patriot Platform, as 'horrible'. However, multiple party councillors and figures have publicly defended the group, causing friction within party ranks. Sources: theguardian.com.
According to theguardian.com, Sharon Barker, Reform UK councillor in Tameside said: “Many of the people at that march were brave, passionate patriots who had very real reasons for covering their faces, including the very real fear of losing their jobs simply for standing up for Britain.”.
Confrontations and Public Alignments
Disagreements surfaced during a visit to Portsmouth by Reform's home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf. Daniel Thomas, leader of Patriot Platform and a long-term associate of activist Tommy Robinson, gatecrashed the visit to dispute media coverage of police clashes. While senior figures including Yusuf, Richard Tice, and Robert Jenrick criticized the use of face masks, several local representatives endorsed the activists' actions. Dudley councillor Andrew Southall and Portsmouth councillor Emily Strudwick praised the demonstrators, with Strudwick attending the protest directly. Sources: theguardian.com.
According to theguardian.com, Andrew Southall, Reform UK councillor in Dudley said: “Those patriots in Portsmouth have done more to stop the invasion than the last seven governments put together”.
The rift emerges alongside scrutiny over Reform's connections to hard-right anti-migrant campaigns. At the party conference, Farage offered to 'legally back' Ryan Bridge, co-founder of the Raise the Colours group, which has been putting up flags across England. Bridge was subsequently charged with 14 offences, including racially aggravated harassment. Political observers note that Reform's internal debates are heightened by electoral competition on its right flank from Rupert Lowe's party, Restore Britain. Sources: theguardian.com.
- Nigel Farage's criticism of masked hard-right activists has met open dissent from local Reform UK councillors.
- Figures within Reform UK continue to offer support to anti-migrant groups such as Patriot Platform and Raise the Colours.
- Electoral pressure from rival party Restore Britain is driving internal debates over how far Reform should align with grassroots nationalist movements.
Sources: theguardian.com
