Farage to headline Truss-led CPAC conference amid governance scrutiny
The event, organised by former prime minister Liz Truss, proceeds despite ongoing investigations into Farage’s undeclared gifts and recent electoral challenges for Reform UK.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has confirmed he will headline the UK Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) conference, an event organised by former prime minister Liz Truss. Scheduled for 16 to 18 July at the O2 in London, the summit represents a significant reversal of earlier indications from Reform UK that Farage would avoid the gathering. The conference aims to replicate the influence of the American CPAC, which previously hosted figures such as Donald Trump and Farage, with organisers stating their goal is to “save Britain, save the west”.
The speaker lineup includes US right-wing influencer Jack Posobiec, former Conservative cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, and US CPAC chair Matt Schlapp. Rees-Mogg reportedly changed his mind about attending after learning that Truss was being politically shunned. Other speakers include YouTuber Peter McCormack, Reform UK activist Matt Goodwin, Conservative peer Toby Young, and Lucy Connolly, who describes herself as a free speech campaigner following her imprisonment for inciting arson against asylum hotels.
The announcement comes as Farage faces intensifying scrutiny over an undeclared £5m gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. The standards commissioner is currently investigating the matter, and Farage has not held his usual press conferences for several weeks since the existence of the gift was revealed. This political pressure coincides with recent electoral setbacks for Reform UK in the Makerfield byelection, where Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain has gained ground.
Truss, who resigned as prime minister in 2023 following economic turmoil caused by her mini-budget, was appointed to run the British version of CPAC earlier this year. Although she has moved further to the right, she remains excluded from Reform UK due to public anger over the impact of her economic policies on mortgage rates. Tickets for the conference range from £100 to £10,000, with the higher tier including access to a VIP lounge, premium seating, drinks events, and a Winston Churchill gala dinner.
The event is part of a broader trend of well-funded right-wing summits in London, following the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) event in June. CPAC GB has promoted the conference with imagery suggesting threats to British history and identity, specifically flashing the word “refugees” and an image of someone wrapped in a Pride flag. The conference occurs amidst a political landscape where Farage’s party has previously suggested it would steer clear of such gatherings, highlighting a shift in strategic positioning for the Reform UK leader.