Farage and Badenoch Clash Over Membership Claims

A public feud erupted between Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch over membership numbers for their respective parties, Reform UK and the Conservatives, with Farage claiming Reform has surpassed the Conservatives with over 134,000 members. Badenoch accused Farage of 'fakery', suggesting that Reform's membership counter was 'coded to tick up automatically'. In response, Farage offered to allow a major accounting firm to audit Reform's membership if the Conservatives did the same, citing claims from Tory whistleblowers about irregularities during the leadership contest. Farage, boasting 5.5 million social media followers, dismissed Badenoch's criticisms and emphasized the significance of Reform's rise in the political landscape. The dispute highlights tensions within the Conservative Party as Reform UK positions itself as a serious challenger. The Conservative Party has not yet responded to Farage's audit challenge.