One in five public affairs professionals plan to attend Reform UK’s annual conference
The party is fast becoming a key fixture on the political engagement circuit, according to new research from the CIPR and Opinium, reflecting recent poll forecasts
A new survey from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, the industry body for lobbyists, and Opinium reveals a significant groundswell in lobbyist* engagement with Reform UK, with 20% of public affairs professionals planning to attend the party’s September conference.
A representative poll of 300 senior decision-makers in businesses with a public affairs, government affairs or related communications function found that lobbyist attendance at the Reform conference is set to nearly double compared to last year. The conference will be the third most attended by lobbyists this year, pushing the Liberal Democrats into fourth. In 2024, 12% of public affairs professionals attended the Party’s conference, up from just 4% in both 2022 and 2023.
Other key findings include:
- Labour’s conference remains the top destination for public affairs engagement in 2025, with 48% of public affairs professionals planning to attend
- Reform continues to lag in delegate seniority, with 58% of attending organisations sending director-level or C-suite representatives – compared to 68% for Labour and 77% for the Conservatives
- Labour also continues to stand out for drawing larger teams overall, with 52% of attending organisations also sending manager-level staff, compared to only 42% for Reform
The survey also revealed that the average spend on Reform conference attendance is just under £18,000, compared to nearly £29,000 for both Labour and Conservative events. However, this could be affected by the shorter format of Reform’s conference.
Commenting on the survey results, Jon Gerlis, Head of Public Relations and Policy at the CIPR, said: “The national opinion polls have been saying the same thing for a while. As things stand, Reform is on course for major gains at the next election. There is now serious talk of the Party becoming the Opposition or having a stake in Government. This has obviously had an effect on UK lobbying activity.
“Our survey speaks for itself. Lobbyists are taking Reform seriously. One in five is now planning to attend, and if the political winds keep up, I think we could see this number increase further.
“There has been some talk of whether engaging with Reform is risky. I’d say the reverse is now true, namely that businesses could find they miss a chance to get a foot in the door if they don’t start engaging with the Party as it tries to hammer out its position on key issues.
“The big question is how can Reform be lobbied effectively? Businesses and lobbyists need to remember what sits at the heart of Reform’s appeal. The Party’s popularity ultimately reflects simmering resentment with the Westminster system as much as the appeal of any specific policy aims. Lobbyists must demonstrate how policy asks can help those who feel left behind. If they can crack this, then they could yet wield influence”
James Crouch, Head of Public Affairs at Opinium, said: “For the first time, businesses are treating Reform as a serious part of conference season. While many are still testing the waters with smaller teams and budgets, curiosity about the party’s direction, and the chance to influence it early, is drawing in a broader and more mainstream mix of attendees. If this momentum continues, Reform could soon rival the Conservatives as a key fixture of conference season.”
* Opinium surveyed 300 lobbyists and public affairs decision-makers within UK organisations with a public affairs function. Fieldwork was conducted between 21st and 26th August 2025.
See the full data tables here.