Ben Habib has slammed Reform UK’s “ill-thought” democratisation plans after attending an event thanking supporters in Wellingborough for their efforts in the 2024 General Election.
The former Brexit Party MEP, who will miss Reform UK’s annual conference, is becoming increasingly frustrated with the inner workings of the populist party.
He was removed as deputy leader in July to make way for a major reshuffle which saw the eventual architect of the constitutional reforms, Zia Yusuf, become chairman.
Criticising the reforms, Habib told GB News: “The document is really poor. It’s badly drafted, incomplete and ill-thought-through. It’s really not good at any level.”
‘Ill-thought!’ Habib slams ‘incomplete’ Reform democratisation after attending local event but MISSES conferenceX/PAAfter confirming he would not be attending Reform UK’s two-day annual conference in Birmingham, Habib revealed why he was in Wellingborough yesterday.
“I was hosting a drinks party to thank my canvassers and supporters from the General Election,” he said.
Habib received 9,456 votes in the Northamptonshire constituency, trailing Labour and the Tories.
The result was a marked improvement compared to February’s by-election which saw Habib finish third with just 3,919 votes.
However, in his criticism of Reform UK’s new democratisation push, Habib also claimed that the document was based on a similar one produced in February 2023.
He claimed that the “marginal” changes would ensure power remains “vested” in Reform UK’s board rather than the membership, adding: “This is not democracy.”
POLITICS LATEST:
Habib will not attend the Reform Party conference
Getty
Habib’s decision to miss the annual conference comes after the former London MEP delivered a keynote speech at the populist party’s 2023 outing.
However, the 59-year-old has been distancing himself from Reform UK’s high-command and even endorsed Priti Patel’s short-lived bid for Tory leader.
Despite Habib’s criticisms, Reform UK lauded the democratisation changes.
Ashfield MP Lee Anderson told GB News: “We are probably the most democratic party in the country.”
The new constitution, unveiled by chairman Zia Yusuf earlier this week, includes a provision for members and MPs to potentially oust Farage as leader.
The 17-page constitution revealed that 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”.
The party’s new constitution has been drawn up by the party’s chairman Zia YusufGB NewsA 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.
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 Reform UK chairman added: “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.”
Nigel Farage issued a video message after giving up all his shares in the party
X
Breaking his silence on the revamped constitution last night, Farage said: “I no longer need to control this party. I’m going to let go.
“We will change the structure of the party from one limited by shares to a company limited by guarantee.
“And that means that the members of Reform that will own the party.
“I’m relinquishing control of the company and indeed of the overall control of the party.”
Farage also claimed between 3,500 and 4,000 Reform UK members would descend on Birmingham for its two-day conference.
The 60-year-old Brexit stalwart will deliver the today’s closing speech in what many supporters hope will propel Reform UK forward into the 2025 Local Elections and beyond.