This arrticle first appeared in the i Newspaper.   To survive and thrive as a political party and ultimately to achieve power, you need four things: charismatic politicians, a professional party organisation, money and, of course, votes. At Reform UK’s party conference in late September, Nigel Farage outlined plans to “professionalise” the party, and he has wasted little time in implementing them. First out the door was long-time Farage ally and spin-doctor Gawain Towler. Then the party was transformed from a limited company, wholly owned by Farage, into a conventional political party, modelled on the constitution of the Liberal Democrats. Within two months, hundreds of local associations have been set up, with a total membership of more than 105,000, closing in on the Conservatives membership of 132,000. High-profile new recruits have been announced on an almost weekly basis with former Tory MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns and the Conservative commentator Tim Montgomerie jumping ship in recent weeks. Opinion polls now show Reform overtaking Labour and the Conservatives. Farage promised to go after Labour voters and is now said to be obsessing No 10 strategists who seem to have no clue how to respond to the threat posed by Reform UK. On Tuesday, the nightmare got worse, but not just for Labour, also for the Tories. Long-term Tory donor and successful property developer Nicky Candy, and husband of Australian soap star Holly Valance, announced that not only was he defecting to Reform UK, he was taking up a position as its party treasurer. Up until now, Richard Tice has looked after the party’s finances, and contributed millions to its funding, but if the party is to professionalise, it needs a professional treasurer. Candy’s task will not just be to ensure financial probity and donate money himself, it will be to seek out further high net worth donors and persuade them they should join him on the Reform UK bandwagon. Candy’s politics appear to somewhat fluid, given he admits voting for Tony Blair, and earlier this year praised Sir Keir Starmer in a Bloomberg podcast as “a decent man with good values and good morals [even if] we still don’t know the Labour policies”. He had grown thoroughly unimpressed with Tory infighting and disunity and said it was “probably time for a change”. Political flakiness is not unknown among party donors, but it is something Farage will have noted. Candy will be judged on the money he brings in. Luring Tory donors over will be his first priority, but it may be a difficult task. Associating with Reform UK still carries a degree of toxicity about it, and leading City figures may not want to be seen as allies of Farage. But success breeds donations and if Reform UK continue to climb in the polls, then who knows what the financial future may hold? Candy also brings his wife of 12 years, Valance. There’s nothing a political party likes than a bit of celebrity glamour and Valance brings it in spades. A role in Neighbours, various parts in Hollywood movies and a top 10 chart hit make her an instantly recognisable face. She’s not afraid to express her views either and seems far more sure of where she lies on the political spectrum than her husband, telling an interviewer earlier this year: “I would say that everyone starts off as a leftie and then wakes up at some point after making money, working, trying to run a business, trying to buy a home – then realises what crap ideas they all are, and then you go to the right.” In advance of the election she deprecated political turncoats, which must have led to some interesting conversations with her political turncoat husband. However, she put her money where her mouth is and donated £100,000 to Reform UK in advance of the election. Does she have political ambitions herself? It’s so far unclear, but if she does decide to stand for parliament in 2028-9 it will provide a huge fillip to the Farage campaign. There is no doubt about it, Candy and Valance are the new political power couple on the bloc. They could both have a key role to play, not only in aiding and abetting the professionalisation of Reform UK in its bid to topple one or both of the two traditional big political parties in this country, but also to help boost the party’s public profile. When the history of Reform UK is written, it’s perfectly possible that the appointment of Candy will be seen as far more significant development than the recruitment of Jenkyns or Montgomerie, or dare I say it, Suella Braverman, if she eventually decides to jump ship.    

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