Everything we learned at Reform UK's 2026 party conference

Reform UK’s 2026 party conference in Birmingham ended Saturday amid fallout over finances, protests, and a high-profile televised sting operation. The event ran into turmoil even before Channel 4 broadcast a report on Thursday, following a provocative post on X by Zia Yusuf, responding to news that a Somali refugee would stand for Labour in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Yusuf’s comments sparked public backlash, with Piers Morgan calling him a “racist clown,” and internal reactions split, including support from Robert Jenrick and criticism from Nadine Dorries. The biggest TV flashpoint dominated most conversations at the NEC, with allegations raised in the programme already reported to police by Labour and the Lib Dems. Protest disruptions delayed parts of the schedule, and security lapses surfaced during Richard Tice’s remarks.