Reform UK is set to expand its outreach to Britain’s Jewish community with the launch next month of the Reform Jewish Alliance (RJA), alongside plans for a separate Reform Friends of Israel
(RFI) group.
Party leader Nigel Farage and deputy leader Richard Tice are both expected to speak at the RJA’s inaugural event in central London, signalling the party’s intent to formalise engagement with Jewish voters and supporters.
Sources say the RJA is being spearheaded by Gary Mond, a high-profile former Conservative who recently defected to Reform. The alliance is expected to offer members a programme of regular events, featuring guest speakers from within Reform’s senior ranks as well as prominent figures from across the Jewish community. The group also aims to provide a structured channel for members to raise concerns and help shape the party’s stance on issues of importance to Jewish voters.
Alongside the RJA, Reform is preparing to announce Reform Friends of Israel, a group intended to work closely with election candidates and party officials to promote strong UK–Israel relations. The initiative is understood to be modelled on the long-established Friends of Israel groups affiliated with the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats.
In what would be seen as a significant appointment, Jason Pearlman, a former adviser to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, is understood to be under consideration for the role of director of RFI. If confirmed, his involvement would be viewed as a major coup for the party as it seeks credibility in foreign affairs and Middle East policy.
The moves come as Reform UK looks to build momentum ahead of local elections in May, with party strategists keen to broaden support among key communities.
Reform’s growing Jewish outreach also includes senior figures who have crossed the floor from the Conservatives. Dr Alan Mendoza, now Farage’s chief adviser on global affairs, previously served as a Conservative councillor in Westminster before joining Reform.
However, the party’s efforts are unfolding against a backdrop of renewed scrutiny of Farage’s past. He has strongly denied allegations of racist and antisemitic bullying during his time at Dulwich College, describing the claims as “completely made-up fantasies” driven by individuals with “very obvious political motivation.”
The allegations resurfaced following a Guardian investigation, in which more than 30 individuals gave accounts of racist behaviour at the school. Among them was Peter Ettedgui, an Emmy- and Bafta-winning director, who alleged that Farage had repeatedly used phrases such as “Hitler was right” and “Gas them” during their school years.
Meanwhile, developments elsewhere on the political spectrum underline the shifting landscape. Conservative Friends of Israel has announced Greg Smith MP as its new parliamentary chair, following the defection of the previous chair, Suella Braverman, to Reform UK.
With the launch of the RJA and RFI, Reform UK is positioning itself more visibly in debates around community relations and foreign policy—an effort likely to draw both new supporters and continued scrutiny in the months ahead. Photo by © House of Commons, Wikimedia commons.
