Ben Habib Announces Advance UK Will Deregister as a Political Party

Ben Habib has announced that Advance UK will cease to operate as a registered political party and instead merge into the Great British Political Action Committee (GBPAC), marking a significant change in direction for the organisation less than a year after its launch.

In a statement outlining the decision, Habib said that the overriding objective behind the creation of Advance UK had always been to “save the country” by providing Britain with a serious, principled and anti-establishment political force on the right.

According to Habib, Advance UK was founded because he believed there was a gap in British politics for a party that combined populist appeal with strong constitutional principles, democratic accountability and a clear programme for national renewal. He argued that existing parties on the right, including Reform UK, had failed to fulfil that role.

From the outset, Advance UK was structured differently from traditional political parties. Alongside its executive leadership, Habib established a body known as “the College”, whose purpose was to ensure that the party leadership remained faithful to its founding principles and long-term mission.

Those principles centred on support for the nation state of the United Kingdom, Britain’s Christian constitutional and cultural heritage, the restoration of individual freedoms, the strengthening of democratic accountability and the re-establishment of equality under the law.

Habib said the party was created in response to growing concerns about what he described as the erosion of national sovereignty, excessive influence from international institutions and quangos, restrictions on personal freedoms, and the emergence of a two-tier justice system.

To test whether public demand existed for a new political party, Advance UK set itself a target of recruiting 30,000 members before applying for registration with the Electoral Commission. Habib noted that this figure roughly matched Reform UK’s membership when it contested the 2024 General Election.

The target was achieved within just three months, which Habib described as evidence that many voters were seeking an alternative political vehicle. He expressed gratitude to members, supporters and donors who had helped build the organisation in its early stages.

One of the achievements of which Habib said he was most proud was the party’s policy development process, particularly its work on culture. He argued that culture is the foundation of a stable, prosperous and secure nation, and claimed that other political parties had largely ignored its importance.

Advance UK’s cultural policy sought to define British culture, explain its significance and outline measures to strengthen national identity and social cohesion. Habib described this as a unique contribution to political debate in Britain.

However, Habib said the political landscape had changed considerably since the party’s launch, primarily due to the emergence of Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain movement.

He argued that Restore Britain appeared, at least on the surface, to occupy much of the same political space as Advance UK. In his view, having multiple organisations competing for the same voters risked creating confusion on the right and fragmenting support for broader political change.

As a result, Habib concluded that the responsible course of action was for Advance UK to step back and allow political developments involving Restore Britain, Reform UK and the Conservative Party to unfold. He suggested that pressure from Restore Britain could eventually help create a more serious and principled pro-British political force capable of forming a government.

Following discussions with the College, two options were considered. The first was to dissolve Advance UK entirely. Habib rejected this approach, arguing that it would remove the possibility of the organisation returning in the future should circumstances require it.

Instead, the preferred option is for Advance UK to deregister as a political party and merge into the Great British Political Action Committee.

GBPAC, which Habib chaired before establishing Advance UK, operates as a campaigning and action-oriented organisation rather than an electoral party. By merging with GBPAC, Habib said the movement would be able to preserve much of Advance UK’s infrastructure, membership network, policy expertise and regional organisation without contributing to electoral fragmentation.

Members who wish to remain involved will be able to join GBPAC, while College members may continue contributing through an advisory board. The organisation’s regional structures can also be incorporated into the new framework.

The change will leave Advance UK’s councillors without a formal party affiliation, meaning they will sit as independents. However, Habib stressed that they would continue to receive support and guidance through GBPAC.

A formal vote will now be put to members. They will be asked to choose between winding up the party completely or proceeding with the proposed merger and deregistration.

Habib said he would recommend the second option, arguing that it preserves the organisation’s capabilities while avoiding unnecessary division within the wider right-of-centre political movement.

He also made clear that he has no intention of stepping away from public life. Instead, he will continue his political activities as Chairman of GBPAC.

Thanking members, donors, councillors, regional organisers, College members and fellow executives, Habib said Advance UK had achieved a significant amount in a short period and had demonstrated a potential pathway for political change in Britain.

Looking ahead, he outlined GBPAC’s future role. Unlike a traditional think tank, he described it as an action committee focused on raising funds, pursuing legal challenges and campaigning against policies it opposes.

He highlighted the organisation’s opposition to the Government’s proposed agreement concerning the Chagos Islands and praised GBPAC Chief Executive Claire Bullivant for her work on the issue. He also revealed that further legal actions against government bodies and public institutions are being prepared.

In addition, GBPAC intends to continue developing policy proposals and identifying political candidates who may be able to serve within other parties, including Restore Britain and others. Habib said these activities would also ensure that the infrastructure remains in place should there ever be a need to relaunch Advance UK as a political party.

While he emphasised that relaunching the party is not the current objective, Habib said the organisation would remain prepared should future political circumstances require it.

He concluded by expressing optimism about the transition, describing GBPAC as a natural home for Advance UK’s members, ideas and organisational structure, while preserving the ability to return to electoral politics if necessary.