This blog has documented a few of the resignations, defenestrations and criminal investigations related to Reform UK’s oftentimes motley bunch of elected council candidates. These are of course the ones that have passed the vetting that is somehow apparently already too stringent in their view.
But there’s of course plenty more. The Byline Times kindly published a list of at least 15 councillors that “have been suspended, expelled, or have quit” since May. And they acknowledge that there may well be more that simply haven’t caught their attention yet. One not on their list for instance is Tony Hewitt.
Some quit within days of being elected, whilst others were caught sharing Hitler memes, spouting racist conspiracy theories, or are now the subject of police probes or prosecutions.
They divided the up into a few categories, represented below. See the original article for some details as to why these folk had to go.
Full resignations:
- Desmond Clarke (Nottinghamshire County Council)
- Andrew Kilburn (Durham County Council)
- Wayne Titley (Staffordshire County Council)
- John Bailey (Durham County Council)
- Sam Booth (Doncaster Council)
- David Maclean (Isle of Wight Council)
- Robert Bloom (North Northamptonshire)
(Attempted) defections:
- Owen Clatworthy (Bridgend County Borough Council)
- Donna Edmunds (Shropshire County Council)
- Luke Shingler (Warwickshire County Council)
- Michael Ramage (Durham County Council)
Sackings:
- Rob Howard (Warwickshire County Council)
- Bill Barrett (Kent County Council)
- Charlotte Gates (Derbyshire County Council)
- David Taylor (Worcestershire County Council)
- Barry O’Brien (North Northamptonshire Council)
- Joseph Boam (Leicestershire County Council)
Suspensions and expulsions:
- Ed Hill (Devon County Council)
- James Regan (Epping Town Council)
- Mark Broadhurst (Doncaster City Council)
- Paul Bean (Durham County Council)
- Adam Smith (West Northants Council)
Under Criminal Investigation:
- Andy Osborn (Cambridgeshire County Council)
- Daniel Taylor (Kent County Council)
- Amanda (Mandy) Clare (Chester Council)
- Joseph Boam (Leicestershire County Council) – this the same Joseph that appeared on the sackings list above.