Nigel Farage's keynote address at Reform UK's Birmingham conference was overshadowed by multiple disruptions. The speech was delayed by over an hour following a reported security scare that prompted counter-terror police involvement and venue searches. Activists added to the chaos through both protest signs and a Greenpeace stunt that smuggled a banner onto the main stage depicting Farage with a money bag and the slogan 'collect £5million, burn the planet,' reflecting broader criticism about the party's funding and environmental positions.

The conference also exposed multiple financial controversies within Reform UK. James Orr, the party's head of policy and a Cambridge University associate professor, resigned after an undercover Channel 4 investigation alleged he had improperly arranged for polling to be funded by an overseas company, which violates UK electoral law. Cambridge University subsequently launched an investigation into Orr. Separately, North East Lincolnshire councillor Tanya Brasted resigned after being removed from her council cabinet position amid allegations of financial mismanagement linked to a Christmas Ball event, though she has denied any impropriety.