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The Brexit Party campaigned for a [[no-deal Brexit]] and there were high-profile defections to it from the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], including [[Ann Widdecombe]] and [[Annunziata Rees-Mogg]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rees-Mogg elected Brexit Party MEP |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-48417689 |access-date=31 May 2019 |date=27 May 2019 |work=BBC News |archive-date=31 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131194426/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-48417689 |url-status=live}}</ref> Following [[Boris Johnson]]'s election as the leader of the Conservative Party, Farage offered him an electoral pact at the 2019 general election, which Johnson rejected. The Brexit Party decided unilaterally not to stand candidates against sitting Conservative MPs.
By May 2020, the British exit from the EU having taken place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy and a name change from Brexit Party to Reform Party was proposed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2019/11/could-farages-reform-party-carve-him-a-new-role-in-post-brexit-british-politics.html|title=Could Farage's 'Reform Party' carve him a new role in post-Brexit British politics|publisher=ConservativeHome|date=25 November 2019|access-date=12 May 2020|archive-date=19 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519132113/https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2019/11/could-farages-reform-party-carve-him-a-new-role-in-post-brexit-british-politics.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50704706|title=General election 2019: Farage promises Reform Party after Brexit|work=BBC News|date=8 December 2019|access-date=12 May 2020|archive-date=22 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822052107/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50704706|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/nigel-farage-plans-to-launch-reform-party-1-6548653|title=Nigel Farage planning to launch new political party|website=The New European|date=6 March 2020|access-date=12 May 2020|archive-date=10 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810024039/https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/nigel-farage-plans-to-launch-reform-party-1-6548653|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[COVID-19 pandemic]] began in the UK in 2020, and the Conservative government imposed a series of [[COVID-19 lockdowns|national lockdowns]]. Farage rebranded the party as Reform UK around the end of the year and focussed on [[COVID-19 protests in the United Kingdom|anti-lockdown]] campaigning.<ref name=":5">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/02/reform-uk-brexit-party-to-rebrand-as-anti-lockdown-voice|title=Reform UK: Brexit party to rebrand as anti-lockdown voice|first=Clea|last=Skopeliti|date=2 November 2020|work=The Guardian|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-date=18 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418212915/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/02/reform-uk-brexit-party-to-rebrand-as-anti-lockdown-voice|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-54777346|title=Nigel Farage: Brexit Party to focus on fighting lockdown|date=2 November 2020|work=BBC News|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506124317/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-54777346|url-status=live}}</ref> Farage stepped down as leader in March 2021 and was succeeded by [[Richard Tice]]. In March 2024, [[Lee Anderson (British politician)|Lee Anderson]], who was elected in 2019 as a Conservative MP, defected to Reform UK, becoming the party's first and only [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 March 2024 |title=Lee Anderson: Ex-Tory MP defects to Reform UK |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-68532602 |access-date=11 March 2024 |work=BBC News}}</ref> On 3 June 2024, Richard Tice announced that Nigel Farage would become leader once more, with Tice continuing as chairman.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/24363065.nigel-farage-confirms-will-stand-reform-election/|title=Nigel Farage confirms he WILL stand for Reform in election as he becomes party leader|date=3 June 2024|website=The National}}</ref>
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