Ben Habib had reportedly fallen out with Nigel Farage and Zia Yusuf after his removal as deputy leader of Reform in July 2024.[9] In reaction, he set out his intention to form a party to the right of Reform.[10] Habib later stated that Elon Musk had urged him to set up a party in early 2025.[11]
Logo of the Integrity Party
In April 2025, he assumed control of the Integrity Party, a legal identity registered with Companies House in November 2024.[12]
Pre-registration and launch
On 30 June 2025, Habib announced Advance UK online and set a target of 30,000 members before registration.[10] The limited company behind the Integrity Party was renamed as Advance UK Party Limited.[6]
On 3 August, far-right[17] activist Tommy Robinson announced he was joining the party, in a video recorded in late July.[18][19]
On 26 August, Elon Musk declared his support the party, stating "Advance UK will actually drive change. Farage is weak sauce who will do nothing".[20]
Later that month, Advance UK announced that four former parliamentary candidates for Reform, and one former branch chair, were defecting.[21]
Habib speaking at the UTK rally, 13 September 2025
Advance UK sponsored Tommy Robinson's 'Unite the Kingdom' rally in London on 13 September 2025.[22] Habib spoke at the rally, which saw an estimated 110,000 to 150,000 attendees.[23][24]
Advance UK's launch in Newcastle, 27 September 2025
The party was due to launch at the Crowne-Plaza Hotel in Newcastle upon Tyne on 27 September. However, after online protest, the management cancelled the booking on "health and safety grounds", according to Newcastle City Council.[25] The party was launched at a different venue.[26]
In November, Wootton Bridge Community Centre on the Isle of Wight - where over 100 Advance UK supporters had met - was reviewed by the Charity Commission over alleged political activity.[27]
On 4 December, the party was registered with the Electoral Commission to run candidates in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.[28]
In the Financial Times, Anna Gross wrote that Habib was working to prevent Nigel Farage from winning the next UK general election, and that the more hardline Advance UK could take votes from those who consider Farage too moderate.[38] Further, Alex Kane of The Irish News suggests that Advance is 'in danger of becoming an anti-Farage party rather than a genuine alternative to Reform.'[39]
Patrick English, director of political analytics at YouGov, said Advance UK "certainly might have the potential to be disruptive but they'll need to work very hard to find people capable of fronting it".[21]
Organisation and structure
The party has a 'college' of representatives that participates in policymaking, candidate selection, and regional activities, with power to select the leader. The board of directors are responsible for constitutional oversight.[42] The arrangement has been described by Sean O'Grady in The Independent as complicated and likely to lead to internal friction.[6]
Habib told Sky News that Twitter had been 'vital' for reaching 37,000 members in four months, alongside podcasts, YouTube, and other social media platforms.[4]
In Cardiff, anti-fascist group Stand Up to Racism persuaded the venue to cancel the Wales launch booking in October 2025.[44] The Brunswick Arms in Swansea was boycotted and sent a petition by local residents, after it hosted a meeting.[45]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
