Key facts
- Diplomats from multiple EU countries, including Germany, Italy, and Spain, are attending the Reform UK party conference.
- The engagement aims to foster understanding of Reform UK's policies and ambitions.
- Reform UK has pledged to renegotiate post-Brexit trade deals and revisit migrant return agreements.
- France is not sending representatives due to Reform UK inviting Jordan Bardella, president of France's National Rally.
- The increased diplomatic presence signals a growing recognition of Reform UK's political influence.
European diplomats are quietly engaging with Nigel Farage's Reform UK party ahead of its annual conference, with representatives from several EU nations, including Germany, Italy, and Spain, attending for the first time. This outreach reflects a growing acknowledgment of Reform UK's political significance and potential future influence.
An EU diplomat stated that the increased attendance is due to embassies realizing the need to take Reform UK seriously and establish contacts across political parties. The engagement aims to foster a better understanding of the party's policies and ambitions, as well as to share perspectives on the importance of European cooperation. Despite a decline in public support in 2026, Reform UK remains competitive in polls with the governing Labour party.
A government led by Farage would present challenges for the EU, as Reform UK has pledged to unwind current 'reset' deals with Brussels, renegotiate the post-Brexit trade agreement, and revisit the U.K.'s migrant returns deal with France. The bloc has previously considered a 'Farage clause' to safeguard existing agreements, a move Farage has indicated he would not honor.
Beyond Germany, Italy, and Spain, delegates from Denmark, Norway, Finland, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Romania are also expected. These attendees are primarily political affairs officers, signaling an effort to establish contact without elevating the engagement to the ambassadorial level. Another diplomat emphasized the responsibility of embassies to monitor domestic developments in host countries.
France, however, is maintaining a distance, with no representatives attending the conference. This decision comes as Reform UK has invited Jordan Bardella, president of France's far-right National Rally, to speak. French President Emmanuel Macron recently met with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham.