It was billed as the “biggest political rally in history”. But as its 6.30pm start time drew near, it became clear that Reform UK’s local-election campaign launch at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Friday (28 March) was going to reflect its true position: an insurgent party on the verge of civil war.
Battle lines were drawn up before attendees even reached the arena: given Reform’s anti-immigration stance and Birmingham’s highly diverse and multicultural population, it was unsurprising to see hundreds of protesters outside. It was Nigel Farage’s squirming over the Ukraine war that prompted the most memorable demonstration though, courtesy of the campaign group Led by Donkeys: a projected image of Farage and Vladimir Putin with the caption “Vladimir and Nigel welcome you to Birmingham”.
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