Reform UK has claimed it is now the largest political party in Britain by membership, overtaking Labour following a reported decline in Labour’s numbers.
According to reports, Labour’s membership has fallen below 250,000. Reform UK says it now has more than 268,000 paid-up members, which, if accurate, would make it the biggest party in the country by size. Labour has declined to confirm or deny the figures, saying its membership numbers will be published in its next annual report.
Political parties are not legally required to publish verified membership figures, and there is no independent body that audits them.
Reform UK says its figures are tracked through a live online counter and include only members who have paid an annual fee of £25, or £10 for under-25s.
Reform leader Nigel Farage described the claim as a major milestone, arguing it shows the decline of traditional two-party politics. The party has also been performing strongly in national opinion polls since the spring.
Labour’s most recent published accounts, released in August, put its membership at 333,235 at the end of last year, down significantly from a peak of more than 530,000 under former leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Despite winning a landslide general election, Labour reportedly lost tens of thousands of members during 2024, with further declines this year.
Other parties have also seen shifts. The Green Party says its membership has surged to over 180,000, while Conservative and Liberal Democrat memberships are believed to have continued falling.
Read also: Reform UK pulls out of BBC documentary amid dispute over edited Trump speech