Nigel Farage enlists Boris Johnson ally to write Reform UK's eco policies

Reform figures acknowledge they have struggled to win over Tory voters who prioritise environmental concerns.

The party's opposition to net zero has proven off-putting to some green Conservatives, and the Reform leader hopes a robust nature agenda will address this weakness.

Mr Goldsmith, a financier and wildlife campaigner, will not be taking out party membership, preferring to remain an independent voice for conservation.

"We are talking to Ben Goldsmith and we are interested in his ideas," Mr Farage confirmed.

Mr Goldsmith has submitted a comprehensive document to the Reform leader outlining his vision for environmental policy.

His recommendations urge the Reform leader to remove foreign fishing vessels from British waters and champion the reintroduction of native species such as beavers, water voles and storks.

The document advocates expanding the Environmental Land Management scheme, which rewards farmers for wildlife-friendly land management.

"Britain has lost so much in recent decades," Mr Goldsmith said. "I'm hopeful that Reform intends to outdo the other political parties in its ambitions for real nature recovery and I want to help with that."

He added: "There's no good reason why we can't once again have seas teeming with fish, hedgerows pulsing with songbirds, woodlands thrumming with wildlife."

Mr Goldsmith's proposals frame conservation as "the patriotic case for nature", arguing it remains central to British heritage and national identity.

Research conducted by Reform's policy team reveals that more than 80 per cent of the party's supporters care deeply about the natural environment.

Polling shared with senior figures on the right indicates that Conservative voters most reluctant to back Mr Farage's party are precisely those who prioritise environmental protection.

Luke Tryl, UK director of More in Common, noted that 57 per cent of Reform supporters believe the Government should make nature a priority, while 66 per cent of Tory voters share this view.

Labour's pursuit of closer EU trading ties has constrained its ability to ban destructive bottom trawling in marine protected areas, a cause championed by David Attenborough.

"This is a massive opportunity for Reform," one source observed, noting that Danish and Dutch fishing interests have effectively blocked Labour action on the issue.

Mr Goldsmith founded the Conservative Environment Network and served as an adviser to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs between 2018 and 2022.

His late father, Sir James Goldsmith, established the Referendum Party, lending the environmentalist solid Brexiteer credentials.

The Countryside Alliance urged caution about Reform's countryside ambitions, however.

Tim Bonner, the organisation's chief executive, warned: "Reform should be careful about falling into the trap of believing that there are simple answers to the challenges facing the countryside."

Martin Lines, who leads the Nature Friendly Farming Network, offered a more positive assessment: "It's positive to see Reform taking the decline in nature seriously. There's growing recognition that nature loss has real consequences for farmers, for the wider economy and for public wellbeing."

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