Nigel Farage is fighting a by-election in Clacton on 13 August with no mainstream parties standing against him, even as he prepares to welcome one of Europe’s most prominent far-right figures to Reform UK’s three-day party conference in Birmingham.
Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old president of France’s National Rally, will address Reform members on 4 September, the second day of the gathering. The speech will be delivered in English.
“Jordan Bardella will address Reform UK's conference in September, Farage confirms.”
“I am pleased to welcome Jordan to our party conference,” Farage said in a statement. “He represents a new generation of political leaders who are standing up for their countries, their borders and their people.”
Bardella, whose electoral appeal is expected to be central to Marine Le Pen’s 2027 presidential campaign, met Farage in December last year and told the BBC he thought the “extremely resilient” Reform UK chief would be Britain’s next prime minister. The pair have also discussed cross-Channel cooperation on migration.
“I look forward to discussing how France and Britain can co-operate to finally stop the boats once and for all,” Farage added on Tuesday.
The volume of small boats crossing the English Channel from France has long been a contentious issue in British politics, with most parties agreeing numbers must be reduced. Bardella has backed greater police cooperation between London and Paris but wishes to return migrants to their “countries of origin” rather than to the French coast.
The Spectator first reported Bardella’s upcoming appearance. Other right-wing political figures have addressed previous Reform conferences: former Finnish deputy prime minister Timo Soini spoke in 2024, while Reform Party of Canada founder Preston Manning gave a speech in 2025.
Bardella’s appearance comes as Farage faces scrutiny over his financial arrangements, which triggered the by-election in his former Clacton constituency. No date has been set for the contest beyond 13 August.
