Nigel Farage could be forced out if more than half of Reform UK members lose confidence in his leadership, according to the party’s new rulebook to be presented to the party’s conference this weekend.
The party’s new constitution, which has been drawn up by the party’s chairman Zia Yusuf and seen by GB News, sets out for the first time how members can remove their leader.
It delivers on a pledge made by Farage in an interview with GB News on the eve of the general election in July that he would seek to democratise his party.
Under the changes – to be voted on at this weekend’s Reform UK conference – a vote of confidence will be considered by the party’s board if either half of its MPs or its members write to the chairman demanding one.
The 17-page constitution – a copy of which has been seen by GB News – says a vote on the leader can be triggered “by 50 per cent of all Members in Good Standing writing to the Chairman requesting a motion of confidence”.
A vote can also be called “by 50 Members of the Parliamentary Party or 50 per cent of the Members of the Parliamentary Party (whichever is greater), writing to the Chairman and requesting a motion of no confidence”.
However, this only applies if there are more than 100 MPs in Parliament. Currently, there are only five Reform UK MPs.
If enough members or MPs demand a vote of no confidence, Reform’s board – comprising elected members, councillors, MPs as well as the leader and chairman – will vote within 14 days on the leader’s future.
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Reform UK’s constitution
Reform UK
“In the event of a motion of no confidence in the Party Leader being passed by the Board the Party Leader shall be deemed to have resigned,” the constitution says.
The constitution marks a significant change in how Reform UK – currently a limited company majority-controlled by Farage – runs its affairs as it seeks to push on from its strong performance in the election.
In an email to Reform UK members, Yusuf said that Farage had now proposed “to sign away his majority shareholding in the party, as the party structure changes to become one limited by guarantee, not by shares.
The party’s new constitution has been drawn up by the party’s chairman Zia Yusuf
GB News
“This means the party will have no shareholders – it will be owned by members. It will be a not-for-profit model, governed by the constitution.”
Yusuf added: “As our leader Nigel Farage has promised, this constitution democratises our party.
“It empowers you, our members, to have your say on both a local and national level.
“This constitution is one we can be proud of, one fit to be the constitution of the party of the next Government of the United Kingdom.”
