Reform UK could be slapped with a £1,000 fine in the near future as a bus used for campaigning was found to not have a valid MOT.
The Nigel Farage-led political party has announced grand plans for the future, headlined by its local election campaign.
Reform UK, which has five MPs in Parliament, said it would be hosting the “biggest ever launch rally in modern British political history”.
To celebrate the goals, Reform campaigners around the country have been setting up local events to rally support for the party, including in Essex.
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A Reform UK campaign bus was spotted as not having a valid MOT, according to the GOV.UK database
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In one instance, a large aqua Reform UK bus has been seen canvassing for the party emblazoned with large slogans like “Join the Reform UK party” and “Let’s make Britain Great”.
The “world famous” Reform UK bus has been described as “brand new” and features a TV inside as supporters of the party campaign for more votes around the area.
However, some eagle-eyed social media commenters noted that the number plate of the vehicle, R903 TCH, may lead to some issues for the owner.
According to GOV.UK, the vehicle’s MOT has expired, with the website warning that people can be fined up to £1,000 for driving without a valid MOT.
It states that the purple, diesel-powered Dennis bus was first registered on January 6, 1998, with the MOT expiring on April 22, 2015.
Based on its MOT history, the bus has failed twice, once in March 2010 and once in April 2013. The bus has had the same mileage of 9,414 miles since the 2013 test.
The most recent failure was due to the offside headlamp not working on the main beam, adversely affecting the operation of another lamp. Both offside and nearside headlamps also aimed too low.
The vehicle has been taxed, with the tax next due on January 1, 2026. GOV.UK shows that January 29, 2025, marked the date when the last V5C logbook was issued.
It is not known whether the transformed Dennis bus is being used traditionally on the roads or purely for campaigning purposes and isn’t being driven.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does note that some vehicles are exempt from needing an MOT test.
This includes goods vehicles powered by electricity and registered before March 1, 2015, tractors and some historic (classic) vehicles.
Owners of vehicles which could be exempt need to fill in an MOT exemption form (V112) if their vehicle is listed so they can either tax it or apply for tax exemption.
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Nigel Farage speaking at the Reform UK North West Essex conference
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It also states that lorries, buses and trailers must get an annual test for lorries, buses and trailers instead of an MOT, which is sometimes referred to as the “annual vehicle test”.
