The Reform Party leader Nigel Farage will this week embark on a renewed drive to raise millions of pounds to “professionalise” its operations two months after it won five seats at the general election.

Sky News understands that Mr Farage will attend a fundraising event hosted by Holly Candy, the former Neighbours actress, on Wednesday evening.

The gathering is aimed at broadening Reform’s appeal to potential donors, with a number of prominent businesspeople among those understood to be planning to attend.

Money latest: Major bank to allow first-time buyers to borrow up to 5.5 times salary

Since Mr Farage took over as party leader, it has attracted 50,000 new members paying a minimum of £25, according to insiders.

Speaking to Sky News, the former UKIP leader said: “Reform is growing fast and rising in the polls but we need to raise real money to professionalise the party.

“Wednesday night is the first step.”

Man who threw objects at Nigel Farage during election campaign in Barnsley avoids jail

Nigel Farage denies getting £98,000 monthly salary from GB News

Nigel Farage paid £98k a month for GB News presenting job

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Mrs Candy, who is married to the property entrepreneur Nick Candy, hosted a fundraiser for Donald Trump’s re-election campaign in London in June.

The event was said to have raised about $3m for the Republican presidential candidate, and was hailed as the largest such event ever held for the party outside the US.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Read more from Sky News:
Business leaders fire warning on workers’ rights and tax hikes
Rightmove soars on Murdoch-linked takeover interest
Oasis tickets fallout: Pressure builds for change in the law

Mrs Candy has herself reportedly donated £50,000 to Reform’s coffers.

Reform won a 14.3% share of the vote in July’s election, winning five seats – a ratio which the House of Commons library described as “the most disproportionate [gap between vote share and seat share] in a generation”.

Related posts:

British holidaymakers could be allowed to travel to Europe within weeks Nadhim Zahawi, Jonathan Ashworth & Maria Mezentseva Replacing Boris Johnson must be done ‘properly and professionally, but quickly’, says cabinet minister Who are the frontrunners to be the next PM? Five key exchanges from Hancock’s leaked trove of WhatsApp messages Starmer attacks Sunak over ‘shocking state’ Tories have left country in ‘after 13 years of failure’ Health minister refuses to commit to public sector pay rise, saying PM must make ‘tough decisions’ Polls close in double by-election battle for Tory seats Whether Labour can replicate their record-breaking by-election success across the country remains to be seen Labour delivers record hammering – and Tories will fear it’s terminal Rehab beds target ‘on track’, Scotland’s first minister insists as drug deaths rise Starmer seeks ‘reset’ as he kicks off UK tour with visit to Scotland