Dear Jack,

For the last few months I’ve made clear that Reform UK is here for the long term; that we’re working to a three year plan, not a three month plan.
 
That is as true today as it’s ever been.
 
I’ve got huge respect and admiration for the hundreds of candidates around the country who have campaigned for Reform UK since our inception. Their investment of time, effort and money is a testament to their unswerving commitment to Changing Politics for Good. To them all I say a massive thank you.
 
Though there are some results still to come in, it is now clear that these elections have been as challenging as we’d anticipated they might be. Though naturally disappointed, we must face these results with pragmatism.
 
Though launching a new party was always going to be tough, particularly during a pandemic, what we had hoped for most from these elections was an opportunity to introduce ourselves, our brand, our optimism and common sense policies to the electorate. In huge swathes of the country we’ve done just that and now have a foundation upon which we can build.
 
What confronts us is an emboldened Tory party, riding high on the back of a successful vaccination programme and enjoying open season on a Labour Party that is in disarray, directionless and despondent.
 
Just weeks ago, I wrote warning of the danger that Britain might return to being a two party state. It now seems clear that a one party state seems far more likely. 
 
Unopposed, the Tories have overseen the biggest erosion in civil liberties for a generation and are increasingly in favour of higher taxes, bigger government and authoritarian measures such as vaccine passports, continued restrictions and more lockdowns. They need to be challenged and they need to be opposed. 
 
We know that we have the plan, the people and the persistence to do just that. But we also know that it’s going to take time; years not months.
 
What we take great heart from is the achievements of our team in Derby. What they have done is prove beyond doubt that if you campaign consistently, in a targeted way and with a message of reform, then voters will listen, will support, will elect. A particular well done to them.
 
With that encouragement, we will now move forward with our plans to structure and democratise the party. We will engage with you over the summer on how best to shape Reform UK as we work to select Prospective Parliamentary Candidates for seats around the country. 
 
These elections have demonstrated how much talent and ability we have within our ranks and we want to support that talent by setting up structured campaign teams capable of doing what has been done in Derby, campaigning hard and winning votes.
 
We have a three year plan and there is a lot to do. Play your part in bringing about the change that Britain needs – today more than ever.