If you have been following British politics over the last year or so, you will have some idea of what Reform UK is. Not only are they the highest polling political party at the moment, they also gained a new MP and control of several local councils in the swathe of local elections that happened this week. Despite being one of the biggest parties in UK politics at the moment, UCL does not yet have a Reform Society. Why is that the case, and is that likely to change anytime soon?
Reform UK is generally described as being far-right on the political spectrum. The party is led by long-time political grandee and seven-time failed electoral candidate Nigel Farage, shot into the spotlight for his presence on the Brexit campaign in 2016. The Eurosceptic, anti-migrant and populist political party, which now has five MPs (and one associated independent in Rupert Lowe) in the House of Commons, has framed itself as the answer to Britain’s many crises. Reform is promising to bring down the price of housing and the cost of living for British people by limiting migration and tackling “woke ideology”. This is despite the estimated £2.5 billion that immigrants contribute to the UK economy every year, and the crucial role they play in keeping our public services running.
Reform has become massively popular with young voters in the UK. Indeed, four-in-ten young people would consider voting Reform according to a poll commissioned by the New Statesman. Interestingly, Reform is surging in popularity with young men, seeing 12% of men in the 18-24 age bracket voting for Farage’s party at the 2024 General Election. Despite Reform’s growing popularity amongst those of university age, there seems to be no sign of a Reform Society emerging here at UCL.
Whilst this phenomenon may be blamed on the old adage that young university students are generally left-wing, the reality is a bit more complex. Indeed, Labour, the Greens and the Liberal Democrats are as, if not more, popular in the polls amongst youngsters. Nonetheless, there is a strong right-wing presence at UCL, with the Conservative Society boasting considerable membership.
The UCL Conservative Society is part of the London University Conservatives (LUC), a coalition of London Conservative Societies which boasts high-profile events and debates throughout the year. Indeed, only last month audio of the Shadow-Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick promising to “bring a coalition together” between Reform and the Conservatives was leaked at a UCL Conservative Society event in conjunction with the LUC.
Moreover, students at King’s recently elected Baiyu Liu – a member of the KCL Tories and LUC regular – as their new Students’ Union President. A Roar News investigation recently revealed some questionable behaviour by the President-elect, where he reportedly voiced support for Israel despite his pro-Palestinian divestment-centred campaign promises. Irrespective, it seems clear that there is a strong right-wing presence at London universities, begging the question of why none have founded a Reform Society.
A source close to the UCL Conservative Society recently told me that their last Port and Policy debate acted as a de facto referendum amongst the LUC as to whether they would form a Reform Society at UCL. One motion on the night read: “This house would back Reform”. It was voted down by a large margin, despite many in attendance having voted for Reform at the last general election. But why was this?
The source said there is anxiety amongst the LUC that a Reform splinter society would destabilise London’s student Right. Ideologically, the UCL Conservatives and the LUC seem to be aligned with Reform, particularly in their choices of inflammatory immigration-centred motions for debate and with instances of far-right symbolism and behaviour at their events. However, by virtue of both Reform’s lack of grassroots funding for student societies, and the longstanding history of the UCL Conservative Society (indeed, they are the UK’s oldest University Tory Society, having been founded in 1908), there seems to be little appetite for a fully fledged Reform Society.
Whilst there are some Reform societies popping up at other universities, such as Exeter and Durham, the grandiose of UCL’s current Conservative Society, and the lack of an appetite or funding to build a new society from the ground up, has resulted in there being no sign of Reform UK emerging on our campus. Whilst this is subject to change, it seems unlikely that a Reform society will be founded in the coming months, especially with the amount of money and prestige needed to match the current home of right-wing politics at UCL. However, with the disastrous results for the Tories at the recent local elections, and the looming precipice of electoral demolition at the next general election, we may very well see a Reform Society supplant the current Tory Soc in the years to come.
A UCL Conservative Society spokesperson said: “Our last Port & Policy on 27 March 2025 did not discuss the topic of a Reform Society.
“We had a motion relating to Reform UK in January, where the swing was significantly against backing Reform UK. Many of our members did not vote Reform at the last General Election – many voted Conservative or they did not vote.
“We are a broad tent society with a diversity of views and an emphasis on lively but respectful debate, so it is incorrect to say our Society or Committee is ideologically similar to Reform.”
