Others waved placards saying “refugees welcome” and “stop Reform UK” outside the Athena events venue, where the conference is taking place.

A Reform UK spokesman told the Express the demonstrators should “focus their attention on the Gaza independent MP that represents Leicester”.

The spokesman was referring to the pro-Palestinian Leicester South MP Shockat Adam, who declared “this is for Gaza” after winning the seat from Labour in last year’s General Election.

The conference comes just moments after former Tory MP Marco Longhi switched his allegiance to Nigel Farage’s party.

Mr Longhi served on the Home Affairs Select Committee and was the MP for Dudley North. He claimed the Conservative Party has come under a “Left-wing influence”.

He said: “The Conservative Party I once identified with — the party of Churchill and Thatcher — has transformed into something unrecognisable, captured by a Left-wing influence that masquerades as conservatism at election time while prioritising the wishes of an elite few when in power.

“In recent years, it has repeatedly betrayed your trust and Labour have never earned that trust in the first place. I refuse to be part of this ‘uniparty drift’ towards an ever more Left-wing agenda.

“If I am fortunate enough to represent people again, I will not shy away from the hard truths and necessary actions. My commitment to the people was evident when I represented Dudley before and it will remain the same if re-elected.”

Mr Longhi is part of an ever-growing line of former Tories moving to Reform, including former Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns, ConservativeHome founder Tim Montgomerie, and Suella Braverman’s husband Rael.

A new MRP poll also suggested that Labour could lose votes to Reform over because of immigration and that Mr Farage’s party could gain 120 seats at the next election.