Meet Reform UK's Student Wing

Young voters are leaving the Labour Party. And Reform is picking up some of their votes.

Earlier this year, I went to Lancaster University to speak to Jack Eccles, who’d started a Reform Society at his university. Since then, Nigel Farage has appointed him president of the party's newly launched official student wing, Students for Reform.

But it was Durham University that had the first Reform UK student society - and its leader - Xavier Hale - is now the vice president of Students for Reform.

The launch of Students for Reform was described as a “soft launch” at party headquarters, with plans to roll out branches across universities nationally.

Leading the new student organisation in a public role is Matthew Goodwin, appointed honorary president. This appointment has stirred political controversy: Goodwin has previously made statements arguing that being born and raised in the UK does not automatically make someone British — remarks many regard as racially insensitive or exclusionary.

Critics, including figures from other political parties and commentators, have warned that this move signals a willingness within Reform UK to tolerate or promote exclusionary rhetoric under the banner of youth outreach.

On the other hand, defenders of Reform UK argue that the party does not require a separate youth wing to mobilise younger supporters. According to one internal statement, the party “welcomes individuals of all ages” and says a youth wing would risk devolving into a platform for ego and spectacle rather than real politics.

The introduction of Students for Reform reflects a broader strategic shift: as the party seeks to expand beyond its traditional voter base, it appears to be investing in building a pipeline from campuses to future political

Whether this will translate into significant youth support remains uncertain — the launch has already generated public mockery and scepticism on social media and among existing student-politics networks.

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