The Reform Earthquake—Is the Tory Party Still on the Field? With Ben Houchen
Craft Politics14 Touko 2025

The Reform Earthquake—Is the Tory Party Still on the Field? With Ben Houchen

With Ben Houchen, Mayor of Tees Valley and Member of the House of Lords


British politics just had its vibe checked—and the result? Reform UK is on the rise, the Tories are reeling, and Labour can’t seem to land a punch. So we called in one of the few Conservatives still winning elections to help us make sense of it all: Ben Houchen, the three-time elected Mayor of Tees Valley and a straight-talker from the Red Wall.


Joined by co-hosts Andrew Percy and Joseph Lavoie, this episode breaks down:


  • Why Reform’s surge feels like Brexit 2.0

  • How Labour can win the headlines but still lose the vote

  • Whether we’re heading for a three-party system—or a Tory wipeout

  • The realignment that’s reshaping British (and Canadian) conservatism

  • What it’ll take to rebuild a competitive Conservative Party—from the vibes up

Plus:

🏗 Ben argues the future of the Conservative Party lies in blue-collar realignment, not home counties nostalgia.

🚨 Why a non-aggression pact with Reform is a non-starter—and what that means for the Tory path back.

📣 And Andrew tells the infamous story of (almost) endorsing Ben’s Labour opponent on live TV.


If you’re trying to decode the future of right-of-centre politics on both sides of the Atlantic, this is your must-listen episode.

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