Reform UK’s first “newspaper” has hit doorsteps amid plans to hire NCTJ-qualified journalists and ramp up its content operation.
The Reformer, which arrived at Press Gazette HQ on Tuesday, is billed as the “newspaper of Reform UK” above its masthead.
The bottom of the front page features the “promoted by Reform UK…” disclaimer familiar from election campaign leaflets.
On page two, an editorial by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage begins: “Welcome to the first issue of The Reformer – the newspaper of Reform UK.
“We have had enough of what we say and do being distorted by the media. So instead, we want to talk to you directly, and make sure that you get our message straight from The Reformer.”
The issue is made up of eight pages, including short stories about pledges made at the Reform UK party conference, news from its councils and a tribute to its spokesperson Ann Widdecombe, of which the back page is an ad about how to sign up as a member. It has reportedly been sent to 15 million households across the country.
Printweek reported The Reformer has been printed by Walstead Group, which has contracts with several of the UK’s biggest national newspaper and magazine companies.
The paper is reportedly being run by Mick Hume, former editor of Spiked and The European Conservative magazine who has worked in communications for Reform UK and Farage’s now-defunct Brexit Party.
In 1988 Hume was launch editor of Living Marxism magazine and he previously wrote for Press Gazette on press freedom issues.
The name ‘The Reformer Newspaper’ online, with the URL thereformernewspaper.com, is taken by a publication in Sierra Leone.
Press Gazette reported earlier this month that Reform UK is building a “national publishing operation” with a digital newsroom and expanded video content.
The party is still advertising for 12 ‘broadcast and digital publishing’ job roles including executive editor, website editor and multimedia reporters/producers. Reports have suggested the aim is to employ up to 25 people overall.
One advert states: “Reform UK is building a seven-day digital newsroom at its Westminster headquarters and is looking for hard-working, NCTJ-qualified Multimedia Reporter/Producers who can report, write and publish high-quality content at speed. The role sits at the heart of the party’s ambition to build the Reform UK website into a significant national publishing operation.”
Applicants are told they would need to break original stories “rather than relying solely on rewriting or republishing material already available elsewhere”.
The party has also built a new video studio for the launch of Reform TV, which would produce Youtube content.
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