Partnership content, with Walk Through Walls.
The risk of engagement
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK may be topping opinion polls, but its Birmingham conference this week tells another story: corporate Britain is cautious, even wary.
Chief executives who happily rub shoulders at Labour or Conservative gatherings are staying away from the NEC.
Instead, public affairs teams are dispatched to “toe dip” and report back. The optics matter. A CEO in the room would be read as an endorsement, and for now, most FTSE leaders don’t want that photo op.
The lobbyist calculation
But here’s the paradox. Businesses can’t afford not to know what Reform stands for. Policy signals – whether on planning, digital currencies, or energy – are too important to ignore.
Public affairs professionals will quietly do the rounds, listen carefully, and prepare contingency plans. In politics, engagement isn’t about liking someone, it’s about mitigating risk.
The fact that Thakeham Homes and the NFU have put their names to sponsorship shows some corporates are willing to test the water, even if others hold back.
Walk Through Walls returns
Walk Through Walls will once again be present in Birmingham, for the second year running. In 2024, it was among the limited number of firms that showed up, recognising early that avoiding Reform entirely was a strategic blind spot.
This year, its return reflects a belief that professional representation matters, especially when the rules of engagement are still being written. In a landscape where most big-name bosses are keeping their distance, consistent presence signals seriousness and preparedness.
A necessary discomfort
The truth is, UK business can’t pretend Reform doesn’t exist. The party is shaping narratives that will influence policy debates – even if it never forms a government. Waiting until the movement matures could leave companies flat-footed.
For now, the Birmingham conference remains a space of discomfort: a rally feel, uncertain formats, thin corporate cover. But that’s precisely why those who turn up, listen, and learn will be better placed than those who hide and hope it goes away.
Partnership content, with Walk Through Walls.
