Reform UK has prohibited at least three journalists known for their critical reporting on the party and its leader, Nigel Farage, from attending its upcoming annual conference, set to commence this Thursday.
Among those barred are Anna Isaac, the city editor of The Guardian, investigative journalist Peter Geoghegan, and broadcaster and biographer Michael Crick. They were informed earlier this week that their requests for media credentials to cover the event had been denied.
The party has promoted its conference, scheduled to be held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, as “the most talked about event of 2026.” Reform UK officials are looking to use this gathering as a chance to reset their image following a tumultuous summer marked by controversy surrounding an undeclared £5 million donation received by Farage shortly before his election in 2024.
A spokesperson for Reform explained that Geoghegan and Crick were denied accreditation because they were perceived as lesser-known figures. No explanation was provided regarding Isaac’s exclusion.
After The Guardian reached out for clarification, all three journalists received notifications stating their conference access had been restored. However, upon further inquiry, a Reform representative clarified that this was an administrative mistake, and they remained unaccredited. Subsequent emails confirmed their exclusion from the event.
Isaac was the first to report on Farage’s acceptance of the undeclared £5 million from Christopher Harborne. Her investigative work also highlighted various transactions involving key figures within Reform UK, prompting bankers to alert the National Crime Agency about potential money-laundering activities.
This revelation has posed significant challenges for Farage throughout the summer, leading him to limit his media interactions. He also resigned his parliamentary seat in Clacton amidst the controversy, triggering a by-election that was largely boycotted by other major parties, with Count Binface emerging as his primary rival. Farage ultimately won the by-election and was re-sworn into Parliament on Monday.
Geoghegan, who operates the Democracy for Sale blog on Substack and has contributed to The Guardian and The New York Times, learned of his ban shortly after publishing an article that included negative remarks allegedly made by pro-Reform journalist Isabel Oakeshott about Harborne. Oakeshott did not provide a comment when approached by The Guardian.
Geoghegan remarked, “Reform clearly seeks media coverage but is unwilling to endure the scrutiny and accountability that accompanies it. Farage and his associates portray themselves as anti-establishment figures, yet blocking independent journalists from their conference is a quintessential establishment maneuver.”
Crick expressed his surprise upon learning of his exclusion, stating, “Oh dear!” He acknowledged that he could understand why the party leadership might prefer not to have him engage with regular party members. In 2022, he published a critical biography of Farage that included a letter from a teacher opposing Farage’s nomination as a prefect at Dulwich College, citing concerns over his “publicly professed racist and neo-fascist views.” Crick has also asserted that Farage “panders to racists” and noted earlier this summer that Farage’s greatest weakness is his thin skin, leading him to dismiss those who hold opposing views.
Regarding the apparent reinstatement and subsequent reversal of the decision, Crick commented, “What a bunch of blunders!”
A spokesperson for Reform UK stated, “Out of approximately 1,000 media applications, we accepted 950 from various outlets, including the entire Guardian lobby team.”
The representative noted that Crick works for a university and Geoghegan is a Substack blogger, which they argued disqualified them from receiving media passes. The spokesperson did not elaborate on the reasons behind Isaac’s exclusion but mentioned that she could still view the conference proceedings via their livestream.
Laura Davison, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), expressed concern over the decision to bar journalists scrutinizing the party, stating that a healthy democracy relies on a free press capable of challenging political entities. She highlighted a troubling trend of intimidation and obstruction of journalists, noting similar actions taken by the Conservatives and Labour during their conferences last year. Davison called on the government and political parties to uphold media freedom and urged Reform UK to reconsider its stance and grant journalists full access to the conference.
A spokesperson for The Guardian stated, “Holding public figures accountable is an essential role of a free press and a fundamental aspect of the democratic process. Our journalists must be able to pose questions in the public interest without fear of being obstructed in their work.”
