Can Reform UK ever prove themselves as politicians?

They may like to regard themselves as the rebellious, irreverent, slightly edgy foxes in the henhouse”, but Reform UK’s MPs are not going to be allowed to get away with that much in the House of Commons. It’s been reported that the upstart party has been offering its supporters tours of parliament conducted by its MPs, for 300 a pop.

- SEAN O'GRADY

This appears to break Commons rules, as well as looking a bit exploitative on the part of the self-styled “people’s party” in what is, after all, certainly the people’s palace. It does seem a little amateur...

What’s gone wrong?

Letting Reform into parliament is the more obvious mistake on the part of the voters, but the party’s present predicament appears more cock-up than conspiracy. Apparently, an email was dispatched in recent weeks to Reform supporters in one region advertising a Christmas party at a central London bar and nightclub, no doubt with the lure of a chance encounter over a cocktail with the gadfly Nigel Farage, the urbane Richard Tice, “30p Lee” Anderson, the crotchety Rupert Lowe, or, erm, the other one.

The tickets were, as usual, sold as a fundraiser, albeit not to all tastes. But someone got a bit creative with the marketing and tagged on as an optional extra a “package” involving “a tour of parliament with an MP”.

To be fair, Reform’s mixed bag of parliamentarians say they were unaware of the offer, and the party claims that the email was sent in error by a volunteer regional organiser: “This event was set up without our knowledge by the local branch, who did not know the rules. Ticket holders are being offered a refund.”

Are they ideal tour guides?