Reform UK a 'threat to the union', says NI Tories

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage's Reform UK party could be a "threat to the union" between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the chair of the NI Conservatives has warned.

Paul Leeman said there was a "big concern" with Reform, which has been challenging both the Tories and Labour in opinion polls.

He was speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester where the party has sought to regain ground with a raft of policy announcements.

Leeman questioned Reform's commitment to Northern Ireland following remarks by Farage over the summer.

The Reform leader said in August he would "renegotiate" the Good Friday Agreement in order to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

But Farage said it would "take longer" in Northern Ireland, and later said the region would "not be at the forefront" of their proposals.

The policy was announced as part of Reform's plans to deal with immigration.

Leeman was asked by BBC News NI if he saw Reform as a threat to the Conservatives.

"I see it as a threat possibly more to the union of Northern Ireland, when you heard Nigel Farage said Northern Ireland will just have to wait," he said.

"That doesn't cut it. Northern Ireland cannot wait. It has to be all or nothing. And I don't really think they care."

Paul Leeman, chair of the Northern Ireland Conservatives, at the Tory conference in Manchester

He added: "What he talked about with the ECHR, what does that mean?"

Reform has been approached for comment.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is set to close the party's annual conference on Wednesday with a keynote speech.

Last week in a round of pre-conference interviews, she mistakenly said Northern Ireland "voted to leave" the European Union as she defended her party's record on Brexit.

She told BBC News NI the "last time I checked, Northern Ireland did vote to leave".

Northern Ireland voted by 56% to 44% in favour of staying in the EU in the 2016 referendum, which saw the UK overall vote to leave by a majority of 52% to 48%.

When pressed, Badenoch later corrected herself, saying "a lot of people in Northern Ireland voted to remain, you're right".

'Bit of a gaffe'

Jason Reid, deputy chair of the Northern Ireland Conservatives, acknowledged it was a "bit of a gaffe".

He said people at the conference have shown an interest in Northern Ireland.

"I think Kemi would admit herself that was a mistake, a bit of a gaffe of course," he said.

"With the amount of stuff she's having to get in her head to speak about here, I think that is something we can possibly overlook."

The Conservatives have no elected representatives in Northern Ireland, with the party receiving less than 1% of the vote in recent elections.

Other main parties in Great Britain including Labour do not stand candidates in elections in Northern Ireland.