A mass exodus of over 60 Tory defectors is fueling the local election landscape, with Reform UK candidates seeking to capitalize on Conservative losses in the 2024 general election.
Over 60 of Reform UK‘s council candidates standing in this year’s elections are defectors from the Conservative party, according to research from the Labour party. The figures reveal a significant number of candidates who were previously members of the Conservative party have joined Reform UK.
Reform UK is a British political party that emerged in 2021 as a result of the split from the Brexit Party.
The party advocates for a post-Brexit Britain, focusing on reducing immigration and promoting economic growth.
Key policies include a points-based immigration system, increased funding for the NHS, and a review of the UK's membership in international organizations.
Reform UK has participated in local elections and the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, with limited success.
The party's leadership and direction have been subject to controversy and infighting, contributing to its relatively low profile in British politics.
The Labour party has accused Nigel Farage‘s party of a ‘mass rebrand’ as Reform populates its ranks with candidates seeking to ‘save their own political careers’ after the Conservatives suffered huge losses in the 2024 general election. The Labour study of candidate nominations for the local elections in May shows more than 60 Reform council candidates across Britain have served as councillors, candidates or activists for the Tories.
Nigel Farage is a British politician and former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP).
Born on April 3, 1964, in Downe, Kent, he rose to prominence as an anti-EU campaigner.
Farage served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1999 to 2020.
He led UKIP from 2006 to 2016 and was instrumental in the 'Brexit referendum' .
Farage has been a vocal advocate for British sovereignty and limited government.
All but one of Reform UK‘s MPs, including the party leader, Nigel Farage, were previously members of the Conservative party. The Labour study highlights that many Reform UK candidates are former Conservatives who have defected to the new party. This trend is evident in the selection of an ex-Conservative for the upcoming Runcorn and Helsby byelection.
The Reform UK party is a British political party that emerged in 2021, primarily advocating for Brexit and reforming the United Kingdom's governance structure.
The party was formed by a group of former 'Conservative Party' members who disagreed with Boris Johnson's leadership.
Key policies include reducing the power of the EU, promoting localism, and introducing proportional representation.
Reform UK has been met with controversy due to its association with Nigel Farage, a prominent figure in British politics known for his divisive views on immigration and the EU.
Reform’s parliamentary candidate for the byelection in Runcorn and Helsby, Sarah Pochin, is a former Tory councillor for Cheshire East. In social media posts that have been deleted since she became a Reform candidate, she described her ‘absolute pleasure‘ posing in 2019 with Michael Gove, the then levelling up secretary, while she was a Conservative councillor.
A Labour spokesperson said: “A snake might shed its skin but at the end of the day it’s still a snake. Is that why so many of Nigel Farage‘s council candidates are slithering away from their years serving the Tory party? Farage claims to be a breath of political fresh air, but he just hoovered up 60 candidates who failed our country as card-carrying Conservatives.’
The Labour spokesperson warned that voting for Reform on May 1 risks letting a Tory in by the back door. Only Labour can bring real change to Britain, according to the party’s stance.
There will be mayoral elections in the West of England, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, and inaugural mayoral contests in Hull and East Yorkshire, and Greater Lincolnshire. The 19 councils up for election this May are run by the Conservatives, making the local elections a critical moment for voters to shape their local government.
