By Benson Daniel
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has condemned Reform UK’s decision to bar several journalists from its annual conference, accusing Nigel Farage’s party of adopting an authoritarian approach to press scrutiny.
Badenoch made the remarks as Reform UK’s conference opened, after at least several reporters who had carried out critical reporting on the party and its leadership were denied access to the event.
Asked whether the Conservatives would ever prevent journalists from attending their events, Badenoch rejected the idea, saying her party believed in freedom of speech and accepted that politicians should be open to criticism.
She said Reform’s treatment of journalists raised concerns about how the party might behave if it gained greater political power.
Badenoch also took aim at Farage and Reform deputy leader Zia Yusuf, arguing that their repeated attacks on journalists offered an indication of how they could respond to opponents in government.
Her intervention comes at a time when Reform UK is seeking to strengthen its position in British politics and is currently holding its conference in Birmingham. The party has increasingly presented itself as a major challenger to both the Conservatives and Labour.
The decision to exclude journalists has nevertheless created a fresh dispute over the party’s relationship with the media.
Among those denied access were reporters who had recently published stories examining Reform UK, Farage and activities surrounding the conference. One journalist said she had been banned after reporting on groups expected to hold events during the gathering, while another had reported on a previously undisclosed £5 million donation linked to Farage.
Badenoch used the controversy to draw a distinction between her party and Reform, saying Conservatives should be prepared to face difficult questions rather than attempt to prevent journalists from asking them.
Her comments also carried a wider political message as the Conservatives attempt to position themselves against Reform without losing voters attracted by Farage’s party.
The rivalry has intensified in recent months, with Reform making significant gains in opinion polling and attracting former Conservative politicians. Badenoch has repeatedly ruled out working with Farage, while seeking to rebuild the Conservatives as a credible alternative to both Reform and the governing Labour Party.
The latest dispute places press freedom at the centre of that political contest.
For Reform, the conference represents an opportunity to demonstrate that it can operate as a serious national political organisation as it continues to expand its electoral ambitions. For its critics, however, the restrictions on journalists raise questions about the party’s tolerance of scrutiny.
Farage has previously spoken strongly in favour of free speech and criticised what he regards as attempts to restrict political expression. Journalists affected by the latest restrictions have therefore argued that the conference bans sit uneasily with those public commitments.
Badenoch’s criticism is likely to add further pressure on Reform to explain why particular journalists were excluded and what criteria were used to make those decisions.
The Conservative leader has made clear that she intends to use the issue to draw a line between the two parties, presenting the Conservatives as willing to tolerate hostile questioning even when it is politically uncomfortable.
With the next general election still ahead, the argument over access to the press is unlikely to remain an isolated dispute. It has become another front in the increasingly competitive struggle for the support of voters on the British right.
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