Reform UK leader Nigel Farage introduced senior figures he said are prepared to govern, presenting the lineup as a response to instability under Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Nigel Farage on Tuesday unveiled the first members of Reform UK’s Shadow Cabinet, saying the party is preparing to serve as a governing alternative amid what he described as mounting instability under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government.
Speaking to supporters at Church House in Westminster, Farage said his party must be ready to assume office at short notice.
“I am bringing together a strong, disciplined and experienced team ready to rebuild Britain,” Farage said. “The British people deserve a real alternative. Today, we are demonstrating that Reform UK is ready to provide it.”
Farage named MP Robert Jenrick as Shadow Chancellor, Zia Yusuf as Shadow Home and Justice Secretary, MP Richard Tice as Shadow Business, Trade and Energy Secretary, and MP Suella Braverman as Shadow Education and Equalities Secretary.
The appointments reflect a mix of former Conservative government figures and political newcomers. Jenrick previously served as immigration minister in Rishi Sunak’s government and as exchequer secretary under Theresa May. Braverman was Home Secretary from 2022 to 2023 before later aligning with Reform UK. Tice and Yusuf both entered politics from business backgrounds.
Jenrick said he would focus on what he described as repairing an economy “broken” by “decades of mismanagement” from both major Westminster parties.
Braverman said her portfolio would include plans to dismantle the Equalities department and reverse Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. She also stated she would prohibit the teaching of gender ideology in schools.
Tice, who will also serve as Deputy Prime Minister in Farage’s proposed structure, said he would seek to remove regulatory barriers to growth and establish a sovereign wealth fund to invest in industries including technology and steel.
Yusuf said immigration would be central to his role, stating that Britain has been “overwhelmed” by both legal and illegal migration. He pledged to prioritize border enforcement, halt small boat crossings and increase deportations of illegal migrants.
Farage described the four appointments as an initial phase of a broader rollout, saying additional Shadow Cabinet positions would be announced in the coming months. He added that with the team in place, the public would see “a lot more of them… and maybe a little less of me.”
Reform UK has positioned itself as a challenger to both Labour and the Conservative Party as it seeks to expand its influence ahead of the next general election.
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