Nigel's making plans - and Tories should be worried

The first surprise at the Reform conference was the queue snaking from the doors of Birmingham’s NEC centre, all the way down the access road.

- JOE MURPHY

People don’t usually queue in the UK for political speeches, except maybe at the last minute. This was an hour before the start.

Two notices hinted that this was going to be different to the usual autumn political gathering. One said, “Pyrotechnics are in use during this show.” The other stated: “Only four alcoholic drinks per person may be purchased at a time.”

Naturally, the fireworks were held back for the star turn, leader Nigel Farage – a man who, a procession of mahogany-tanned speakers assured us, somehow without cracking into laughter, is “our next prime minister”.

If the injunction against over-purchasing alcohol had any effect, it didn’t show on the well-refreshed crowd that by midafternoon was chanting “here we go, here we go” like a sports bar during the Euros.

Welcome to the future of British right-wing politics: Brash, boozy and big. And, above all, all about Nigel.

Proceedings were opened by former deputy leader David Bull, in shiny suit with lilac tie and silk hanky whooping up the crowd like a game show host. Think of Leslie Crowther hosting The Price is Right.

“Imagine a country where we put 23,000 illegal immigrants ahead of our own citizens,” he cried. “Boooooo,” replied the crowd in the hall. They did a lot of booing, pantomime-style, at villains ranging from Keir Starmer to asylum seekers and netzero commitments. Margaret Thatcher’s name got a respectful clap. Sadiq Khan’s name was met with pitchforks and flaming torches. They cheered and whooped whenever Farage’s name was glowingly referenced, which happened constantly.