The Newshound

Reform van depicting Kemi Badenoch as a clown is stopped by police outside Tory conference in Birmingham

From the Newshound archive · first published 7 October 2026.

Kemi Badenoch, whose North West Essex majority of only 2,610 makes her vulnerable to Reform UK's plan to hold a US-style open primary to find a candidate to unseat her.
Kemi Badenoch, whose North West Essex majority of only 2,610 makes her vulnerable to Reform UK's plan to hold a US-style open primary to find a candidate to unseat her.

West Midlands Police pulled over a Reform UK campaign van outside the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham after it displayed images of Kemi Badenoch and her Shadow Cabinet dressed as clowns. The van carried the slogan "same circus, same clowns" and mock Top Trumps cards naming senior Tory figures. Reform hit back furiously, accusing officers of prioritising Tory feelings over catching criminals.

Reform's spokesman said police stopping the van exposed their "warped priorities" — catching Tories' hurt feelings instead of actual criminals.

Separately, Reform is planning a US-style open primary — chaired by Farage himself — to select a candidate to unseat Badenoch in her own North West Essex seat, where she holds a majority of just 2,610.

MoreGB NewsNigel Farage's Reform UK plots 'US-style primary' to oust Kemi Badenoch from Tory seatThe IndependentReform to target Kemi Badenoch’s seat with US-style primaryLondonLovesBusinessReform UK launches US-style primary to target Tory leaderGB NewsPolice stop Reform UK van that shows Kemi Badenoch as a clown outside Tory conference
Read today's full feed at The Newshound →