In a stunning moment of political theatre, Nigel Farage brought the Reform UK conference to a standstill on Saturday to confront the escalating scandal surrounding London Assembly candidate Lucy Connolly.
The dramatic intervention came after The Mail on Sunday uncovered a series of inflammatory social media posts from Ms. Connolly's accounts, including content that mocked the appearance of Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns and celebrated the blocking of prominent Tory figures.
Mr. Farage, addressing the Manchester conference directly, declared the situation "completely unacceptable" and demanded immediate action from party leadership. "This has to be dealt with today," he stated emphatically from the audience, his voice cutting through the proceedings.
Content Causes Outrage
The controversial posts included a crude image altering Ms. Jenkyns's appearance alongside derogatory captions. Another post celebrated the blocking of Conservative MPs Michael Gove and Lee Anderson on social media platform X.
Perhaps most damagingly, Ms. Connolly's accounts had shared content criticizing Reform UK leader Richard Tice's communication strategy, creating apparent internal conflict within the party's messaging.
Leadership Response
Mr. Tice acknowledged the seriousness of the situation during his conference address, confirming the party was "dealing with the issue" and emphasizing that such behavior "is not what Reform UK is about."
The controversy represents a significant challenge for Reform UK, which has positioned itself as a serious political force ready to challenge the established parties in upcoming elections.
Ms. Connolly, who was selected to contest the Londonwide list in next May's elections, now faces an uncertain political future as the party leadership determines appropriate consequences for the social media activity.
