UK Conservatives and Reform UK Vie for Trump’s Attention Ahead of Inauguration

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senior Tory Priti Patel has dismissed Nigel Farage‘s Reform UK as a “pop-up act” as both British political factions seek to influence the incoming U.S. administration under President-elect Donald Trump. The rivalry comes ahead of Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, with key UK figures, including Patel and Farage, attending the event.

Dame Priti, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, emphasized the long-standing ties between the Conservative Party and the Republican Party during an interview on Sky News. “We have enduring, long-standing ties with the Republican Party,” she said. “Our two parties, in government and out of government, have worked closely together over decades.”

Patel also downplayed the relevance of Farage’s influence in the White House, stating, “You know Reform, we’re not a pop-up act in the way in which they are. Our two parties are knitted together in the very principles of conservatism, and our DNA on values and beliefs is incredibly strong.”

Farage, meanwhile, has described some members of Trump’s incoming cabinet as “genuine friends on speed dial.” Speaking to The Sun On Sunday, he reiterated his willingness to work with the Labour government to strengthen UK-US relations. “If I am able to help behind the scenes, I will do so because it is in the national interest,” he said.

The political jockeying comes as a recent poll showed Reform UK overtaking the Conservatives in popularity, with 25% support compared to the Tories’ 22%. This shift follows Rishi Sunak‘s election as Tory leader just two months ago.

Patel, who served as Home Secretary under the previous Conservative government, highlighted her experience in national security and homeland security as evidence of her party’s deep ties with the U.S. “I have a track record in working on national security, homeland security—the real issues that matter to the British people and the American people,” she said. “Those ties will continue.”

As both UK parties seek to position themselves as key allies to the Trump administration, the rivalry underscores the broader political dynamics shaping transatlantic relations in the post-Brexit era.