Andrew Southall - Councillor for Wollaston and Stourbridge Town | Reform Watch

Profile and accountability tracker for Andrew Southall, Councillor for Wollaston and Stourbridge Town. Restore Britain.

Role: Councillor for Wollaston and Stourbridge Town

Party: Restore Britain

Andrew Southall is a councillor for Wollaston and Stourbridge Town on Dudley Council, elected in May 2026 as one of 22 Reform UK councillors. A former parliamentary candidate and former chairman of the Dudley Reform UK branch, he announced on 16 September 2026 that he had left Reform UK and joined Restore Britain, the party founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, becoming the council's first Restore Britain representative. He said Restore had "superior policies", described Rupert Lowe as a clear leader and said the move would give him "greater autonomy in the chamber" free of the whip. He said the decision was unconnected with his replacement as branch chairman by former MP Marco Longhi. Mr Southall has kept his seat and says he will continue representing residents. The Green Party has called on him to trigger a by-election, a call he described as "slightly amusing".

Recorded incidents (showing 1-1 of 1)

Elected on a Reform UK platform in May, defected to Restore Britain four months later and refused calls for a by-election

Category: party management issue

Andrew Southall was elected to Dudley Council for Wollaston and Stourbridge Town in May 2026 on a Reform UK platform, having served as chairman of the Dudley Reform UK branch. On 16 September 2026, four months after the election, he announced he had left Reform UK for Restore Britain, saying the party had "superior policies" and that the move would give him "greater autonomy in the chamber" as he would not be subject to the whip. The Green Party said residents had voted after receiving centrally funded Reform UK leaflets focused on the party's national policy, noted his margin over the third-placed candidate was 122 votes, and said he should trigger a by-election to seek a fresh mandate. Mr Southall said he found that call "slightly amusing" and has kept his seat. He says his decision was unconnected with his replacement as branch chairman by former MP Marco Longhi.