Lucy Connolly to appear at Reform UK conference

Lucy Connolly will appear on stage at the Reform Party conference on Saturday before Nigel Farage closes the event in Birmingham.

The former childminder and wife of a Conservative councillor was jailed for stirring up racial hatred against asylum seekers in the aftermath of the Southport murders last year.

She will speak on the main stage of the conference in a special live recording of The Telegraph’s Planet Normal podcast with Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan, the newspaper confirmed.

It comes as party leader Mr Farage said he would stop the boats within two weeks of passing immigration legislation, having previously said he would stop them within two weeks of “winning the government”.

The party’s deputy leader Richard Tice is also due to give an address later before Mr Farage speaks to close the two-day event at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

The main stage will also see a speech titled “Make Britain Healthy Again” by Dr Assem Malhotra, a cardiologist who campaigned against the use of the Covid mRNA vaccines.

Dr Malhotra said the Covid vaccines should be paused in their rollout because of the “uncertainty” around excess deaths.

In interviews with broadcasters on Saturday, Mr Farage was repeatedly pressed on his assertion during his speech on Friday that: “We will stop the boats within two weeks of winning the government.”

Speaking to GB News, he said: “We will stop within two weeks of legislation being passed we will stop the boats.”

Pressed on the fact that this could take months to go through both the Lords and the Commons, he said: “Given the mood of the nation, the legislation needs to go through as quickly as it’s possible.”

Speaking to Sky News, he said that within two weeks of the proposed Illegal Migration Bill being passed, or “maybe more quickly”, the boats would be stopped.

On Friday, Mr Farage told activists during his address that the Government was “deep in crisis” and he could see the country going to the polls in 2027, two years earlier than expected.

It came on the same day as Angela Rayner resigned as deputy prime minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party over breaking the ministerial code.

Mr Farage said: “We’re used to hearing stories of splits in the Conservative Party. We’re about to witness a big rift in the Labour Party, too.”

He added: “Before long, there’ll be Labour MPs that reckon they’ve got a better chance on the (Jeremy Corbyn) sectarian ticket … they’ve got a better chance of being re-elected under that ticket, under Corbyn, than they do under Sir Keir.

“I think there is every chance now of a general election happening in 2027 and we must be ready for that moment.”

Mr Farage was in a triumphant mood during his conference speech as the party rides high in the polls. Activists could be seen buying branded football shirts and scarves with the leader’s name on the back.

Businesses also seemed to be warming to Reform. Heathrow Airport hosted a business lounge, First Buses provided coaches to host meeting rooms and “digital gold” firm TallyMoney was among those to have a stand.

The event was opened by party chairman, former daytime TV presenter Dr David Bull, who told attendees Ms Rayner had resigned, which was met with loud cheers. He later said Reform had sneaked past 240,000 members.

He was joined by another former daytime TV presenter, Jeremy Kyle, who roved around the hall speaking to members in between speeches.

Mr Farage arrived to the greatest fanfare of the day. He walked on stage to be met with pyrotechnic fireworks and smoke.

He denied the party was a “one-man band”, pointing to recent Conservative defector former Tory culture secretary Nadine Dorries, who announced she was joining the party on Thursday night.

She told members Reform was the “party of the moment”.

Ms Dorries said: “I feel for the first time in a number of years as though I’m at a conference and amongst people who share the same principles and values as I have always held.”

Mr Farage announced the party, if elected, would stop the small boats crisis in a fortnight. He also announced pledges to cut the welfare bill, prosecute more shoplifters and overturn Labour’s taxes on non-doms.

He told activists Zia Yusuf had been appointed as the party’s new head of policy. He also said a department would be established to ensure Reform would be ready to enter government, if it won an election.

The conference had earlier been told by party chairman Dr Bull that membership had risen above 240,000.

Mr Farage later said: “All I can do is to promise you, that I will give this everything. I will give this absolutely everything. No-one cares more about the state of this country than I do.

“I am determined to do something about it. I came back last year out of retirement to try and lead a movement that would get our country back.

“I think we’re on track. I think we’re on our way. I’m proud to lead this party, I’m proud of you, the amazing contribution you’ve made to our success over the next year. But I tell you what, folks, that was just the beginning.”