Nigel Farage today asserted that his Reform UK party is poised for success, criticizing Labour as ‘not fit to govern’ following Angela Rayner’s resignation.

During his keynote speech at the party’s conference in Birmingham, the Reform leader capitalized on Labour’s recent troubles after the Deputy Prime Minister’s exit.

Mr. Farage rescheduled his speech to an earlier time, three hours ahead of the initial plan, after news of Ms. Rayner’s dramatic departure from government emerged.

He said Sir Keir Starmer’s administration was ‘deep in crisis’ after Ms Rayner’s downfall forced the Prime Minister into a frantic Cabinet reshuffle.

Mr Farage even raised the prospect of Sir Keir being forced into an early general election in two years’ time amid the turmoil within Labour.

‘I think there is every chance now of a general election happening in 2027 and we must be ready for that moment,’ he told Reform members.

With ambitions to translate Reform’s lead in opinion polls into a majority at Westminster and to take residence at Downing Street, Mr. Farage confidently addressed his supporters: ‘Folks, it’s happening.’

Ms. Rayner stepped down on Friday from her roles as Deputy PM, Housing Secretary, and Labour deputy leader, following her tearful admission of underpaying taxes on a flat purchase.

Mr Farage claimed the scandal over Ms Rayner’s housing arrangements ‘screams to entitlement’.

‘It screams to a Government that, despite all the promises that this would be a new, different kind of politics, is as bad, if not worse than the one that went before,’ the Reform leader added.

Opening his speech, Mr Farage had told Reform members they are ‘all ships rising on a turquoise tide, headed ever closer towards winning the next general election’.

‘It’s been a day of some considerable news,’ he added. ‘The reason I’ve moved this speaking time forward is because this Government is deep in crisis.

‘Not only have they fallen into deep unpopularity… but it has become clear to all of us that it is a Cabinet of wholly unqualified people to run our country. They are not fit to govern.’

Mr Farage went on to mention previous rows over Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ CV, and past claims by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds to be a qualified solicitor.

With Sir Keir expected to embark on an emergency reshuffle of his Cabinet following Ms Rayner’s resignation, Mr Farage explained why he moved the time of his speech. 

‘I didn’t want the PM to do anything to spoil our conference,’ he said. ‘And that’s why I’ve come on the stage now to say they are not fit to govern.

In an attack on the Tories, Mr Farage pointed to the verdict of ex-Conservative minister Nadine Dorries – who is the latest defector to Reform – on her former party.

‘Nadine Dorries said it overnight – the Conservative Party are dead. Deservedly so,’ he added.

Mr Farage said Reform were ‘in the middle of this meltdown of these two parties that have dominated for a hundred years of British politics’.

‘In the middle of this there is a new unified party that speaks with one voice,’ he added. ‘We are the party on the rise.’

Mr Farage said Britain was ‘in a very bad place’ and that a Reform government is ‘the last chance’ to get it back on track.

‘Our country is in a very bad place. It’s a mixture between anger and despair,’ he told his party’s supporters.

He said there was ‘societal breakdown’ and ‘cultural decline’, adding: ‘I get this in the street from people, people point at me and say, ‘You are the last chance we’ve got to get this country back on track’.

‘We are the last chance the country has got to get this country back on track.’

Mr Farage listed a number of Reform’s policies, including prosecuting shoplifters, overturning Labour’s taxes on non-doms, and to ‘stop the boats’ within two weeks.

He also welcomed Ms Dorries on stage as the latest Tory defector to Reform’s ranks.

The conference had earlier been told by party chairman Dr David Bull that membership had risen above 240,000.

Mr Farage later said there were 240 branches across the country, and the party now had more than 900 councillors, largely down to victories in May’s elections. 

Mr Farage also said there is ‘barely a lamp-post’ without a St George’s or Union flag on it.

‘British people are sticking two fingers up with every flag they place, to an establishment that doesn’t believe in Britain, to an establishment that thinks more of the interests of other countries and foreign courts than it thinks about its own people,’ he continued.

As he ended his speech, Mr Farage reflected on how he had returned to the political frontline last year in order to lead Reform’s campaign at the general election.

In a pledge to his party as he eyes up leading a Reform government, he said: ‘I will give this everything, I will give this absolutely everything I’ve got.

‘No one cares more about the state of this country than I do. I am determined to do something about it.

‘I came out of retirement last year to try and lead a movement that would get our country back. I think we’re on track, I think we’re on our way.’

A Labour Party spokesperson said: ‘Nigel Farage could have used his conference speech to offer more than just anger without answers and to say more than just ‘don’t know’ to the problems facing the country.

‘He didn’t. It was the same old parade of complaints we’ve heard before.

‘His answer to the charge that Reform is a one-man band was to unveil a one of the faces of failure from the last Tory government, Nadine Dorries.

‘Farage has proven again today that he is incapable of acting in the best interests of Britain.’