Reform UK votes to give members more control

At Reform UK's conference, members voted to increase their influence over the party's policies and leadership.

During the party's conference in Birmingham, members voted in favor of Reform UK's new constitution by raising their hands.

Reform UK’s head, Nigel Farage, signed the document on stage following the vote.

“We’ve matured and are now an officially recognized political party,” Farage stated.

In the general election held in July, Reform secured 14% of the votes and has established a presence in Parliament with five members, one of whom is Farage.

Reform was established as a private limited company, with Farage owning most of the shares.

Two months following the election of its first MPs, Reform UK is revamping its operations. Farage has stated that he is "handing over responsibility for the party and major decisions to the members."

During its conference, members made history by voting on a policy proposal to implement a new constitution. This document outlines the party's regulations and the duties expected of its leaders.

During his speech at the conference on Friday, Farage emphasized that the party must adopt a more "professional" approach.

On Saturday, Zia Yusuf, the chairman of the party, presented the new constitution for a vote during the conference.

He stated that the party would transition into a non-profit organization, operating under a new set of guidelines, and would not have any shareholders.

Only a handful of individuals in the audience lifted their hands to oppose the party's rulebook.

According to the updated constitution, the party's governing body and its leader are in charge of determining policy, incorporating feedback from members during conferences.

However, members will have the ability to dismiss Farage or any other party leader through a vote of no confidence.

A vote can be initiated if half of the members send a message to the chairman asking for a motion of no confidence.

Reform MPs have the ability to initiate a vote if either 50 of them or at least half of their members send a letter to the chairman asking for one. However, this rule only comes into play when there are more than 100 Reform MPs in Parliament, which sets a challenging requirement.