The previous leader, Guy Aston, resigned in November following a disagreement within the group.

New Labour campaign will remind voters that it is mostly former Conservative ministers jumping ship to Nigel Farage’s party

Reform UK has grown from a fringe euroskeptic movement into a major force in British politics. By railing against immigration and the rising cost of living, the party led by Brexit figurehead Nigel Farage has siphoned support from the governing Labour party and Conservative opposition to fracture the old two-party system.

Former Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has become the latest politician to defect to Reform UK. Mr Zahawi revealed the move at a press conference in central London on Monday, where he appeared alongside Nigel Farage.

Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage MP said: “The Gorton and Denton by-election is a referendum on Keir Starmer and his hopeless government. A vote for Labour is a vote for Keir Starmer and more of the same uncontrolled mass immigration, broken borders, record high taxes, surging energy bills, and all the rest.

The populist Reform party is suing the UK government, challenging proposals that may delay local elections, according to a court order.

At a press conference on Monday, Nigel Farage announced that the former Conservative home secretary had defected to his party.

Matthew Goodwin, who is standing in Gorton and Denton, said UK-born people from minority ethnic backgrounds were not always British