I'm no fan of Reform UK, but at least their recent party conference seemed to be attended by ordinary people, i.e. the actual membership!
The same cannot be said of Labour and the Tories. Their conferences seem to be geared up for corporate interests who might offer funding, and one imagines looking for contracts in return, too.
Even with a leadership contest for entertainment, the recent Tory conference only attracted 4000 members. And Labour's conferences are no better.
Tory and Labour conferences used to be held in seaside towns such as Blackpool and Bournemouth, where ordinary people with ordinary budgets could afford to stay in cheap hotels.
Now they are held in cities with swish restaurants for lobbyists, journalists and others who are putting the conference on their expenses....
Reform UK seems to be one of the few parties where grassroots people were catered for, the conference was lively, boisterous, inclusive, it had heated policy debates. Very much unlike the Labour and Tory conferences which were more clinical and sanitised.
These two parties had better beware, they are not voted in by lobbyists, they need the public for that, and their membership is the way to that public when it comes to election campaigns.
I mean look at Labour, 1 in 5 people who voted for them already regret doing so, that's enough to put another victory into question already!
Or maybe conferences for the grassroots are only for those smaller parties who are a long way off winning....? I guess things might change if Reform ever gain more political traction.
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