How Farage lost the Brexit Party and why it means Reform is not inevitable
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The last week has seen Farage and Reform top a national poll and hold another packed rally as their political momentum continues to gather steam. But the embarrassing row with Elon Musk and issues around Tommy Robinson exposed a number of serious problems for Reform behind the scenes, reports David Maddox.
![[Elon Musk’s demands that far-right activist Tommy Robinson should be freed from prison resonated with many Reform members]](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2013/09/11/15/tommyrobinson.jpg)
Nigel Farage has lost the rights to the Brexit Party name in an apparent admin slip – the party he led to victory in the last ever European elections in the UK, effectively took out Theresa May’s premiership and ensured Britain would leave the EU.
![[Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has a plan in front of her specifically aimed at taking out Farage]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/12/12/11a06cae7a7c149b82f926bdda0999b3Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM2NzcxMjk2-2.78506698.jpg)
He may not care now that he leads its successor party Reform UK but it is a rare symbolic loss for a man whose ascendancy currently appears to be inevitable. The story of how he snatched the Brexit Party name from the original owner, Catherine Blaiklock, and she subsequently got it back is an allegory of why the unstoppable veneer of Farage and Reform may only be superficial and not a fait accompli.
![[As Reform supports voters’ ‘nimby’ instincts, property tycoon Nick Candy represents a conflicting message]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/22/22/20329f8750e7d9d49c0cef6b7632c8e5Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM0OTkwODAw-2.78444239.jpg)
The packed Reform rallies, leads in polls and apparent weakness of the Tories and Labour has given Farage what seems like the perfect environment to replace one of the main two parties – something only ever achieved by Labour a century ago in the history of British democracy.
![[Andrea Jenkyns, Farage and Zia Yusuf]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/27/15/SEI231220699.jpg)
But since the very public falling out with Elon Musk, key chinks in the armour have appeared. Not least the concern that many of the right-wingers who have followed Farage support Tommy Robinson and believe Farage’s stance on Robinson signals the Reform leader is going soft on issues related to race and religion.
![[Farage snatched the Brexit Party name from original owner Catherine Blaiklock – and she subsequently got it back]](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2017/05/18/09/ukip-candidate-george-ryan.jpg)
