Nigel Farage’s keynote speech at the Reform UK party conference was interrupted numerous times by protesters.
Two women stood up in the conference hall at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre and held a banner reading “Reform works for billionaires”.
They were booed by audience members who shouted “out” and television footage showed a woman being carried out by security.
Mr Farage laughed during the disruption and said “We’ve got a screamer. Oh dear.”
Addressing the conference hall, the Reform leader said “that poor young girl, she looked like she was going to do herself an injury”, before adding “boring, boring, boring”.
Activist group Climate Resistance said they were behind the disruption, adding protesters shouted “Nigel, you’re bankrolled by billionaires” and chanted “billionaire bootlickers” as they were removed by security.
Climate Resistance activist Katherine, 35, who was among several protesters removed from the hall, said Reform UK “need to come clean about who their backers are and what interests they actually work for”.
She told the Press Association: “We wanted to draw attention to the fact that Reform is backed almost exclusively by shady parties linked to fossil fuels, other extractive industries, and essentially that there’s a complete lack of transparency about their funding.”
Asked about Mr Farage’s description of the protest as “boring”, Katherine said: “I’m sure that Nigel Farage and Reform want to paint these questions as boring, but I don’t think that most people in this country see basic questions of accountability and transparency as boring issues.
“I think they’re core to our functioning democracy.”
Mr Farage walked on to the stage after a delay and told delegates this was because of a “security alert”.
Some media outlets reported that a Reform UK source had informed them that counter terrorism police would not let him on.
West Midlands Police said however that the “decision to delay the commencement of the leader of Reform UK’s keynote speech was made by Reform UK”.
The force added: “We can confirm that Counter Terrorism Policing have had no involvement in the delivery of the Reform UK Party Conference 2026.”
More protesters were subsequently thrown out of the main hall during Mr Farage’s speech on Friday.
Two were removed in separate incidents, and Mr Farage joked that ticket prices could be raised next year to weed out protesters.
Climate Resistance spokesman Sam Simons said: “We have to expose Reform for who they really are, a party built for billionaires and big business.
“While ordinary families struggle to put food on the table, Reform threaten to decimate our public services, slash rights for working people, and rig our broken economic system to line the pockets of shareholders.
“Reform aren’t the ones fighting the Establishment – they are the Establishment.”
A banner had appeared behind Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice reading “Collect £5 million, burn the planet” during his speech at the conference.
The banner, which also depicted Mr Farage in a top hat and carrying a bag of money, remained visible for several minutes before being taken down.
Greenpeace claimed responsibility for the banner.
Amy Cameron, programme director for Greenpeace UK, said: “Tice wants to celebrate this summer’s relentless heatwaves and droughts because they’re improving English sparkling wine.
“But the only thing being toasted in England is our farmland, and the only way you could miss that is if you’re paid not to notice.
“Reform disguise themselves as champions of ordinary people but they’re funded by billionaires who profit from keeping us hooked on oil and gas while the rest of us deal with the catastrophic climate consequences.
“When this summer’s searing temperatures give way to winter storms, 90% of homes in Tice’s own constituency, Boston and Skegness, will be at risk of flooding.
“We need to quit the expensive fossil fuels that are wrecking our climate.
“A more secure, independent energy future is within reach – we just need the politicians in the pocket of the oil and gas lobby to get out of the way.”
Read MoreNigel Farage says Reform won’t be distracted by ‘campaign of attacks’ — live updates
Nigel Farage fights for survival as new Reform sleaze scandal rocks party
Cambridge University probe into James Orr after Reform donations sting
Nigel Farage defends himself over foreign donation claims
‘Significant’ settlement for family of Navy veteran shot by soldiers in Belfast
Man About The House and Robin’s Nest star Richard O’Sullivan dies aged 82
