Reform UK: officials, incidents and party record

Reform UK, also known as the Reform Party, is a right-wing populist and far-right political party in the United Kingdom, founded by Nigel Farage and Catherine Blaiklock on 23 November 2018 as the Brex

Leader: Nigel Farage

Founded: 2018

Headquarters: Millbank Tower, 21–24 Millbank, London SW1P 4QP

Ideology: Right-wing populism, Hard Euroscepticism

Position: Right-wing to far-right

Membership: 268,000 (December 2025)

Website: https://www.reformparty.uk/

Reform UK, also known as the Reform Party, is a right-wing populist and far-right political party in the United Kingdom, founded by Nigel Farage and Catherine Blaiklock on 23 November 2018 as the Brexit Party and renamed Reform UK in January 2021. Nigel Farage has been leader since June 2024, with Richard Tice as Deputy Leader and Lee Anderson as Chairman. Positioned to the right of the Conservative Party, it advocates right-wing populism and hard Euroscepticism under the slogan "Britain is broken. Britain needs Reform." The party has eight MPs in the House of Commons, seventeen members of the Scottish Parliament, thirty-four members of the Senedd, two members of the London Assembly, two directly elected mayors and two police and crime commissioners, and around 2,330 local councillors, controlling thirty-five councils. Its membership stood at 268,000 in December 2025, and it is governed by the Reform UK Board from its headquarters at Millbank Tower in London.

Reform UK policy documents

Tracked Reform UK representatives (2162)

Recorded party incidents (showing 101-150 of 319)

Danielle Cavanagh resigned Gateshead seat days after being elected

Category: party management issue

Location: Gateshead

Danielle Cavanagh resigned her Gateshead Council seat shortly after being elected as a Reform UK councillor on 7 May 2026, becoming the first Reform UK resignation in the authority. The resignation left the ward vacant and required a by-election. Reform UK has not set out the reasons for her departure.

Sources: https://jonathanwallace.blogspot.com/2026/05/first-reform-resignation-in-gateshead.html

Ashley Monk left Reform UK group after Worcestershire dispute

Category: party management issue

Location: Worcestershire

Ashley Monk resigned from Reform UK to sit as an independent following a dispute on Worcestershire County Council, at the same time as the suspension of fellow councillor Jo Monk. He had been elected for Reform UK in Worcestershire in 2025 and in Redditch on 7 May 2026. Reform UK has not published its reasons for the suspension that accompanied the split.

Sources: https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/26099491.councillors-jo-monk-ashley-monk-suspended-reform-uk/

Trevor Bridgwood left Reform UK after an ultimatum from the party

Category: party management issue

Location: Lincolnshire

Trevor Bridgwood became an independent councillor on both Lincolnshire County Council and West Lindsey District Council in May 2026, after receiving what was reported as an ultimatum from Reform UK. He had previously been the subject of coverage about his social media posts. Reform UK has not published an account of the ultimatum or any disciplinary process behind it.

Sources: https://www.markpack.org.uk/176783/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-the-may-2026-elections/

Recorded incident

Category: hate speech

Location: Chelmsley Wood, Solihull

Phil Tierney is the Reform UK candidate for the Chelmsley Wood ward in Solihull. He has shared and reposted material on X that explicitly endorses far‑right activist Tommy Robinson, including signing a petition urging the Government to "halt the political persecution of Tommy Robinson" and referring to him as "Sir Tommy." The same social media activity, as reported in national outlets, includes a post in July 2025 saying "I am Islamophobic," a repost that stated "no communist or Muslim should be allowed to hold any office," a description of Islam as a "plague on this wonderful earth," and calls for mosques in the UK to be closed. He also shared a video where Robinson made "the case to ban all Islamic immigration" and asked Robinson to hold a rally to "show our King the people have had enough." Other social media posts attributed to Tierney and circulating on local social platforms include comments about Ramadan (references to bacon and sausage), climate change denial, references to Enoch Powell, calls to ban the Palestinian flag, commentary about sharia law and halal food, and advocacy for withdrawing support for Ukraine. Reform has said it is "thoroughly investigating these allegations," and Mr Tierney has declined to comment.

Barry Martin resigned after complaints about his social media activity were upheld

Category: social media conduct

Location: Staffordshire

Barry Martin resigned as a Staffordshire county councillor in May 2026, citing health reasons and a recent family bereavement. In the preceding year, the council had upheld two formal complaints relating to his social media activity. The complaints were determined through the council's standards process. Martin did not link his resignation to those findings in his public statement.

Sources: https://www.markpack.org.uk/176783/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-the-may-2026-elections/

Stuart Prior expelled and resigned two seats over alleged racist and Islamophobic posts

Category: racism

Location: Essex

Stuart Prior was expelled by Reform UK and resigned his seats on both Essex County Council and Rochford District Council after being accused, in the week before polling day on 7 May 2026, of creating racist and Islamophobic posts on social media. The allegations related to material attributed to his social media accounts and were reported shortly before the elections. Reform UK removed him from the party, and he has not published a detailed response to the claims.

Sources: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c152ned1dl5o

Recorded incident

Category: financial conduct concern

Location: Worcestershire County Council

Jo Monk, the leader of Reform UK at Worcestershire County Council, is reportedly facing a vote of no confidence due to a significant increase in council tax. Reports indicate that the council has raised the tax by nearly 9%, which is said to be the highest rate in its history. This decision has drawn criticism from opposition councillors, who allege that it contradicts Reform UK's previous pledges to cut council tax. The council is currently under financial strain, having received emergency government support to avoid bankruptcy. The vote is scheduled for the upcoming full council meeting.

Formal complaints over filming council staff and residents with camera-enabled glasses

Category: intimidation bullying

Location: Basildon

Byline Times reported on 30 April 2026 that Sam Journet had faced a series of formal complaints after regularly wearing Meta-style camera glasses during council meetings and while doorknocking residents in Basildon. Multiple local sources described the practice as intimidating. Complaints from staff and fellow councillors about filming officials without their consent, and about accessing staff-only areas without permission, preceded Basildon Council reinstating restrictions on councillors' access to staff-only parts of the Basildon Centre. Journet has said the glasses are both prescription and worn "for protection".

Dan Thomas criticised for using knife attacks on two Jewish men to attack political opponents

Category: inflammatory language

Location: London / Cardiff

On 30 April 2026, Reform UK's leader in Wales, Dan Thomas, was widely criticised after posting about knife attacks on two Jewish men in Golders Green, north London. Thomas wrote on X: "My thoughts are with the victims and the Jewish community in Barnet, a community very close to my heart. In Cardiff, like London, Jews live in fear because antisemitism has been tolerated by Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Greens." The Metropolitan Police said a 45-year-old British national had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. The Met Commissioner, Mark Rowley, said the suspect had a history of mental health problems, drug use and convictions for violence. No political motive had been established at the time of Thomas's post. Critics said Thomas was seeking to make political capital out of a violent attack while the investigation was at an early stage, and pointed to allegations about Nigel Farage's own past remarks as a schoolboy. Thomas did not withdraw the post.

Dan Thomas repeatedly refused to condemn a Reform UK member's post described as "outright racism"

Category: racism

Location: Cardiff

During BBC Wales' "Your Voice Live: The Leaders' Debate" on 28 April 2026, Dan Thomas was repeatedly asked to distance himself from a post by Reform UK member and donor Arron Banks. Plaid Cymru had shared a campaign video featuring Bashy, a black community organiser from Butetown in Cardiff. Banks quoted the video on X with the caption: "Welsh lad?" The post had not been deleted two days later. Asked during the debate whether he distanced himself from the comment, Thomas did not condemn it. Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth described the post as "outright racism" and Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds called it "shocking". Thomas responded by naming Plaid Cymru candidates and saying: "Condemn Keira Marshall, will you? Will you condemn Neil Roberts? We can all sling mud about our members." In the same debate Thomas said Reform UK was not a racist party.

Zia Yusuf vows review and deportation of 'hundreds of thousands' of asylum claimants

Category: inflammatory language

On 20 April 2026 Reform UK home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said on X that the party would review all successful asylum claims from the past five years and revoke the status of anyone found to have entered illegally or overstayed a visa, with those people to be deported if Reform wins the next general election. The party estimated about 400,000 people would be "in scope" of the review and said it would aim to deport large numbers each year, including a pledge to operate multiple removal flights daily. The announcement formed part of a broader Reform policy package that includes leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and a target figure of deporting 188,000 illegal migrants a year. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp and Liberal Democrat immigration spokesman Will Forster criticised the plan as impractical; the measures are a party pledge and would require implementation if elected, with operational detail not specified by Yusuf.

Recorded incident

Category: inappropriate behaviour

Location: Holme Wood & Bierley, Bradford

Stephen Hammond, Reform UK candidate for the Holme Wood & Bierley ward in Bradford, promoted his candidacy and used the same campaign social media account to comment under an advert for a sex worker, writing "Yes I would love to have some fun." Screenshots circulating online show the post and its association with his campaign account. He has also complained about female football commentators on the same account. These posts were published alongside other problematic statements attributed to local Reform candidates in Bradford.

Recorded incident

Category: hate speech

Location: Bradford

Daniel Devaney, a Reform UK candidate in Bradford, posted a series of anti-Muslim comments on social media that included calls to "blast" followers of Islam "off the face of the earth" and derogatory descriptions such as calling Muslims "pure scum". Screenshots attributed to posts from 2023–2024 were published by campaign monitoring organisations and were reported by national media during the local election campaign. Devaney apologised after the posts were exposed and the party opened an investigation. The exposure occurred in mid‑April 2026 during the run‑up to local elections in Bradford.

Former Reform colleague alleged months of bullying and a slur about her dyslexia

Category: intimidation bullying

Location: Basildon

In April 2026, then-Reform councillor Sarah Shields said Sam Journet had been responsible for "bullying" her over a "period of months". She alleged that he referred to her as "thick" because she is dyslexic. Shields subsequently left the Reform group on Basildon Borough Council and sat as an independent. The allegations are Shields's account and have not been tested by a formal finding. Journet has not accepted them.

Union report says outsourcing under Dan Thomas at Barnet Council cost £229m more than planned

Category: public expense question

Location: Barnet, London / Wales

In April 2026, UNISON published a report, "Barnet's Outsourcing Nightmare", examining Dan Thomas's record over 19 years as a Conservative councillor, deputy leader and then leader of the London Borough of Barnet. The report said the council's decade-long contracts with Capita cost £229 million more than originally planned, that around 790 jobs were transferred out of the public sector, including cleaning, IT and customer service roles, and that public scrutiny of those services was weakened. UNISON Cymru regional secretary Jess Turner said the record "should serve as a warning to Welsh voters". Barnet UNISON branch secretary John Burgess said Thomas had been "adversarial, arrogant and hostile to anyone who challenged him". Reform UK rejected the report as a politically motivated attack by a trade union.

Tice's company accused of failing to pay tax on dividends routed to his Jersey trust

Category: financial conduct concern

On 11 and 12 April 2026 The Times and the Guardian reported that Quidnet, a property company associated with Richard Tice, had failed to pay 20% withholding tax on dividends before profits passed to Tice and to a family trust registered in Jersey. The Times put the figure at about £91,000. The independent research group Tax Policy Associates calculated the company-side sum at roughly £120,000 and, in a further report on 18 April 2026, said accounts had wrongly claimed about £98,000 of tax exemptions on approximately £518,000 of payments. Tice denied wrongdoing. He posted that "overall, HMRC received the correct amount of tax due" and described the reporting as a smear, later telling LBC the claims were "riddled with inaccuracies" and part of a "smear campaign". Reform UK described the dividend matter as a minor administrative error. No finding of unlawful conduct has been made against Tice, and no HMRC penalty or investigation outcome has been reported.

Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/12/richard-tice-reform-uk-quidnet-reit-tax-dividends https://taxpolicy.org.uk/2026/04/11/richard-tice-company-failed-to-pay-120k-tax-dividends/ https://taxpolicy.org.uk/2026/04/18/richard-tice-quidnet-reit-corporation-tax/ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8x7yj99jrwo https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/richard-tice-slams-smear-campaign-5HjdYCc_2/

Nigel Farage called British Muslim voters 'extremists' in Easter social media posts

Category: hate speech

On 5 April 2026 Nigel Farage posted an Easter video message and accompanying tweets on X in which he said, "Of course we can be tolerant of all religions... isn't it about time we started to insist that this is who we are?" In a separate tweet he wrote that Labour was "running scared of the extremist Muslim vote in our inner cities", characterising British Muslim voters as "extremists". The posts were criticised for conflating a religious minority with criminality and extremism. Farage has previously used similar language about British Muslim voters and continues to publish political commentary on X.

Thomas John Clark thanked Vladimir Putin

Category: social media conduct

Thomas John Clark, a Reform UK candidate on the Bangor Conwy Môn Senedd list, posted "Thank you Mr Putin" on X at 14:37 on 1 April 2026, thanking Vladimir Putin for engaging in dialogue. The post referenced Putin's interview with US commentator Tucker Carlson. Clark's message thanked Putin for engaging in dialogue rather than for the invasion of Ukraine. The post was circulated by an account monitoring Reform candidates, and Clark remains a Reform UK Senedd candidate on the Bangor Conwy Môn list.

Thomas John Clark thanked Vladimir Putin

Category: social media conduct

Thomas John Clark, a Reform UK candidate for the Welsh Senedd, posted on X on 1 April 2026 thanking Russian president Vladimir Putin for engaging in "dialogue" following Putin's interview with Tucker Carlson. The post included the phrase "Thank you Mr Putin" and was visible on Clark's social media account. The post was highlighted and shared by the account Reform UK Exposed and an archived copy is available online. Clark appears on Reform UK's Senedd Bangor Conwy Môn list as a candidate; the post has been circulated publicly and remains a record associated with his candidacy.

Brandon Dodd defected to Restore Britain saying Reform UK had lost its way

Category: party management issue

Location: Vale of Glamorgan

Brandon Dodd, elected as Reform UK''s first councillor in the Vale of Glamorgan in a September 2025 by-election for the Illtyd ward in Barry, defected to Restore Britain in April 2026. In a letter to residents he said Reform UK had lost its way. He continues to represent the ward under his new affiliation. Reform UK has not published a detailed response.

Sources: https://nation.cymru/news/reforms-first-vale-of-glamorgan-councillor-defects-to-restore-britain/

Recorded incident

Category: xenophobia

Location: South Elmsall and South Kirkby, Wakefield

Arnold Tabor, Reform UK candidate for South Elmsall and South Kirkby on Wakefield Borough Council, left comments on YouTube under the account “Fluffy McSpankins” proposing a “huge walled workhouse city” for migrants with “no pay only a roof over their head and 2 meals a day”. He also called for lethal action against migrant crossings, writing that the UK should “sink the boats and show we are heartless”. His online comments include expressions of admiration for Oswald Mosley and suggestions to use war and economic exploitation to “crush their birthrates” in Africa. These statements were identified during an investigation that collected screenshots of the YouTube replies attributed to his account.

Zia Yusuf attacked the BBC when pressed on Reform's candidate vetting failures

Category: inappropriate behaviour

Interviewed on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on 29 March 2026, Yusuf was questioned about dozens of Reform UK candidates lost to scandal, among them a Senedd candidate photographed appearing to make a Nazi salute and a candidate who had called Humza Yousaf an "Islamist moron". He called the incidents abhorrent but said that even with a success rate of 99.9 per cent a handful would slip through. He then turned on the broadcaster, accusing the BBC of giving Reform's mishaps vastly disproportionate coverage while ignoring comparable problems in other parties. The exchange followed repeated assurances from Reform that its vetting had been professionalised under his chairmanship.

Sources: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/zia-yusuf-slams-bbc-amid-questions-over-reform-candidate-scandals_uk_69c90090e4b06be0a3089250 https://nation.cymru/news/reform-incidents-abhorrent-says-zia-yusuf-after-welsh-candidate-quit-over-nazi-salute-image/ https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/humza-yousaf-nazi-bbc-reform-uk-scottish-b1276887.html

Corey Edwards steps down as Reform candidate after apparent Nazi salute

Category: racism

Location: Wales

In March 2026 Corey Edwards, Reform UK's lead candidate for the Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg Senedd constituency, stepped down from the campaign after a photograph emerged showing him apparently making a Nazi salute, raising his right arm with a finger held under his nose. Reform UK said Edwards had informed the party he was stepping down for reasons of his mental health and asked for privacy. Nigel Farage defended him, suggesting the pose might have been an imitation of the Basil Fawlty character and saying he would not suspend him, while Edwards said the photograph was taken many years ago, described Hitler's regime as barbaric, and said he had been imitating the goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. His departure came amid wider unrest in Reform UK's Senedd selection process in Wales, with other candidates including Patrick Benham-Crosswell and the Merthyr Tydfil councillor Andrew Barry also quitting and criticising the party for favouring former Conservative figures. Benham-Crosswell said, "The Reform Party has betrayed its early members' vision, labour and achievements. I won't be a party to that, so I resign."

Nigel Farage announces legal challenge to crypto donation ban

Category: inflammatory language

On 26 March 2026 Nigel Farage said the government's ban on cryptocurrency donations was "utterly ridiculous" and announced that Reform UK would challenge the measure in court. He made the remarks in broadcast comments. Farage claimed the ban specifically targets Reform UK and suggested the party was being unfairly singled out. The party says its crypto donations have "stricter compliance rules"; the ban is presented as intended to ensure political donations are transparent and traceable, and Reform UK is pursuing legal action.

Dan Thomas's explanation for staying on as a London councillor after moving away did not stand up to scrutiny

Category: ethics violation

Location: Barnet, London / Wales

Dan Thomas told colleagues in the summer of 2024 that he was moving away from Barnet, but did not resign his Finchley Church End council seat until December 2025, having defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK in mid-2025. He said he had been asked to stay on to avoid "an expensive and disruptive by-election" costing taxpayers around £30,000. Reporting published on 24 March 2026 found that explanation did not stack up, noting that he continued to draw the position while living outside London. In February 2026, after reports that he had bought a house near Bath, Thomas said he had "a property portfolio" but was "living and have been living in Wales", and described the reports as "smear attempts from the Welsh establishment". Candidates must live in Wales to stand for the Senedd. BBC Wales reported that one of his properties is in Bath.

Suella Braverman calls FA coaching diversity targets 'utter woke nonsense'

Category: discriminatory remark

Suella Braverman, Reform UK's equalities lead, wrote to Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham on 24 March 2026 asking for the FA's coaching diversity target to be scrapped. In the letter she described the aim that at least a quarter of England men's coaching staff be from Black, Asian, mixed or other ethnic backgrounds as "utter woke nonsense" and said it was "fundamentally flawed, inherently racist and bad for the game". The FA responded publicly, defending its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy and saying it aims to open pathways for historically under-represented groups while maintaining a meritocratic approach. Braverman said she supports the FA's fight against racism but argued the DEI strategy replaces merit with quotas and requested a meeting with Bullingham; the FA said it will continue with the strategy and appoint the best people to roles.

Recorded incident

Category: inappropriate behaviour

Location: Portman Road, Ipswich, Suffolk

Nigel Farage visited Ipswich Town's Portman Road stadium and posed for photographs with a personalised Ipswich shirt both pitchside and in the home dressing room. Reform UK used images and footage from the visit on social media, and the club has said the visit did not follow an official invitation and that it “remains apolitical”. Ipswich Town Supporters' Club collated fans' concerns and passed them to the club, and the club's chair and chief executive, Mark Ashton, issued an apology, saying “I unreservedly apologise for any hurt, pain or distress that’s been caused.” The full board has said it will review how the club engages with local politicians and political parties moving forward.

Recorded incident

Category: intimidation bullying

Location: London

Reform UK's manifesto proposes to "Launch an Anti-Corruption Unit for Westminster", stating that "We will ensure that public officials face sanctions if they break the rules, including prison. Our new Anti-Corruption Unit will have legal powers to investigate past and future scandals." Critics have described the proposal as part of what they characterise as Nigel Farage's intimidation strategy, arguing that granting broad investigatory and sanctioning powers risks being used against political opponents rather than solely to uphold standards. These points are drawn from the manifesto wording provided and reflect both the party's stated intentions and the criticism directed at the proposal.

Pochin joked about a "Reform tartan burqa" at the party's Scottish conference

Category: discriminatory remark

Location: Renfrewshire, Scotland

At Reform UK's Scottish conference in Renfrewshire on 19 March 2026, after her autocue froze, Sarah Pochin told the audience: "I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burqa, but apparently I just wasn't allowed. One day, let's have one of these events that aren't livestreamed. We'll do all the naughty stuff." Labour said it had taken less than 30 seconds for her to start making jokes about Muslims, while Reform's Scottish leader Malcolm Offord called the remark "completely harmless". In the same speech she claimed she had been "virtually strip-searched" at London City Airport, saying "they knew who I was, they wanted me to react", and added that she could not wait for the police to arrest her "for talking about Islam".

Sources: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/reform-uk-sarah-pochin-tartan-burqa-b2942018.html https://news.sky.com/video/mp-jokes-she-wasnt-allowed-to-wear-reform-tartan-burka-at-event-13521973 https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/sarah-pochin-burqa-reform-uk-5HjdWYk_2/ https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/25954532.fighting-talk-i-spent-day-reform-uk-scottish-conference/

Recorded incident

Category: hate speech

Location: The UK

Nigel Farage sold paid-for videos on the personalised platform Cameo in which he endorsed a neo-Nazi event, repeated a motto associated with the UK far right and expressed support for a man convicted over his involvement in a far-right riot. The clips also included references to antisemitic conspiracy theories and misogynistic remarks about a US congresswoman. The reporting drew on an analysis of thousands of videos Farage made on Cameo since 2021 and noted he charged fees for many of the clips. A spokesperson for the Reform UK leader said Mr Farage records videos for genuine supporters and that “at that scale, the occasional mistake can occur”, adding the videos “should not be treated as political statements or campaign activity” and that he opposes extremism and political violence.

Pochin warned parents about a Scouts "Islamo-badge"

Category: discriminatory remark

Location: United Kingdom

In a Facebook Live in March 2026, Sarah Pochin attacked a Scouts activity badge tied to Islamophobia Awareness Month, whose suggested activities include learning about the five pillars of Islam or visiting a mosque. She said: "There is now a Scout's badge that you can earn by learning about Islam. That is frightening. And it should not be happening in our country," and told parents to "be wary" and to "be careful that they're not doing some kind of Islamo-badge thing". In the same video she claimed a government definition of anti-Muslim hostility would stop people criticising Islam and that no equivalent existed for Jewish people, both of which were disputed. Children learning about their neighbours' religion was presented as a threat to the country.

Sources: https://hopenothate.org.uk/2026/03/18/reform-watch-22/ https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/rats-in-a-sack-is-sarah-pochin-too-mad-even-for-reform/

Tice's offshore Jersey trust and his position that people should pay as little tax as legally possible

Category: financial conduct concern

A Mirror investigation published in August 2024 reported that Richard Tice set up a family trust in Jersey more than three decades ago and built an offshore-linked property portfolio. The Jersey trust later featured in reporting on dividends paid out by his property company Quidnet. In March 2026, after The Sunday Times reported that Quidnet had used real estate investment trust status to pay little or no corporation tax between 2018 and 2021, the Labour Party chair Anna Turley wrote to HMRC asking it to investigate. Tice said he had followed the rules. Asked around 16 March 2026 whether people should pay as little tax as legally possible, he said they should.

Sources: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/reform-uks-richard-tice-piled-33441470 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyz0ep9g8lo https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/politics/richard-tice-tax-reform-uk-b2939600.html https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/reform-deputy-leader-richard-tice-tax-5r93t6dg8

Recorded incident

Category: financial conduct concern

Location: The UK

Reform UK has not provided the Electoral Commission with the public addresses of any digital cryptocurrency wallets used to receive donations, a shortfall the Commission says prevents independent verification of the origin and permissibility of those funds. The Electoral Commission has warned that crypto‑asset donations present particular challenges for identifying donors and has called for stronger legal powers to regulate such contributions. Investigations by national outlets found that Reform’s system involved converting cryptocurrency into cash through a third party before the party received the funds, a process the party says is subject to KYC and AML checks. Reform paused accepting crypto donations “out of an abundance of caution” while it reviews procedures, and the government has announced a ban on cryptocurrency donations alongside a new £100,000 annual cap on donations from overseas electors.

Recorded incident

Category: intimidation bullying

Location: Walsall

Councillor Graham Eardley was suspended from Reform UK with immediate effect on 2026-03-04, pending an internal investigation into an allegation that he acted aggressively towards a woman. It is claimed that a witness complaint said he acted so aggressively that security escorted him from the building; Councillor Eardley denies this account. A Reform UK spokesperson said he had been suspended pending investigation. Councillor Eardley posted on X that he first learned of the suspension via social media, said he had not approached the woman and alleged she had approached him, and declined to comment to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Recorded incident

Category: factual inaccuracy

Location: Gorton and Denton

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has reportedly faced criticism regarding his responses to electoral defeats, including the recent by-election in Gorton and Denton. Allegations have emerged that he has made unsubstantiated claims about rigged votes and sectarian cheating without providing evidence to support these assertions. Reports suggest that previous police investigations into similar claims have found no wrongdoing, and court challenges have been dropped. Questions have been raised about the accuracy of his statements and the narratives he promotes regarding voting rights and electoral integrity.

Kathryn Shaw resigned from Reform UK over party culture

Category: party management issue

Location: West Northamptonshire

Kathryn Shaw resigned from Reform UK in March 2026, less than a year after being elected, announcing the decision jointly with colleague Joanne Blythe. Both cited what they called a "toxic and poisonous culture" within the party. She continues to serve as an independent on West Northamptonshire Council. Reform UK has not published a detailed response to the claims.

Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0zy878vy7o

Joanne Blythe quit Reform UK citing a "toxic and poisonous culture"

Category: party management issue

Location: West Northamptonshire

Joanne Blythe was suspended pending investigation after indicating she intended to sit as an independent, and resigned from Reform UK in March 2026 alongside colleague Kathryn Shaw. Both councillors said they were leaving because of what they described as a "toxic and poisonous culture" within the party. She now sits as an independent on West Northamptonshire Council. Reform UK has not published a detailed response to the councillors' criticism.

Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0zy878vy7o

Recorded incident

Category: discriminatory remark

Location: Staffordshire, UK

Peter Mason, a candidate for Reform UK in the Staffordshire County Council elections, is reportedly facing scrutiny over his social media activity. Allegations have emerged suggesting that Mason shared content associated with white supremacy and made discriminatory remarks towards Muslims, including a post stating, "Muslims are like a virus that spreads and takes over everything it touches." This comment, which he later described as 'hyperbolic frustration', was deleted shortly after being posted. Following public backlash, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage announced Mason's suspension pending investigation, asserting that the party does not tolerate hate speech. This incident has raised questions about the vetting process for candidates within the party, particularly in light of Mason's previous controversial remarks about black women and the police, for which he has apologised. The situation has drawn attention to ongoing leadership instability within the local Reform UK party, which has seen multiple leadership changes in a short period.

Laila Cunningham failed to declare shareholding in a hotel in her own borough for nearly four years

Category: undisclosed interest

Location: Westminster, London

The Local Democracy Reporting Service found that Laila Cunningham had not declared her 5 per cent shareholding in Plaza Continental Hotels Limited, which owns a hotel in Bayswater, for almost the entire time she served as a Westminster City councillor. She added the interest to her register only after being contacted by reporters in February 2026. Under the Localism Act, elected members must disclose any beneficial interest in a business operating in their area within 28 days of taking office. Failure to do so can be a criminal offence carrying a fine of up to £5,000 and disqualification from office for five years. A spokesperson for Cunningham said she takes no benefit from the stake, which she said was gifted to her as a child, and that it therefore did not need to be declared. She denies any wrongdoing. Westminster City Council was understood to be looking into the matter.

Zia Yusuf blamed "low-trust societies" for immigration and pledged to block churches becoming mosques

Category: discriminatory remark

In interviews and a speech in February 2026, shortly after being made Reform UK's home affairs spokesman, Yusuf said Britain's high-trust society had been eroded "quite rapidly" because of "the vast numbers of people who have arrived over a short period of time from low-trust societies", adding that "some people might wince at that phrase, but it's just obviously true." He also pledged that a Reform government would use listing and planning powers to stop churches being converted into mosques, framing this as restoring Britain's Christian heritage, and backed reweighting the Prevent programme so that the bulk of its funding targets Islamist terrorism. Yusuf is himself a practising Muslim, and the remarks drew criticism for attributing dishonesty to whole nationalities.

Sources: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/zia-yusuf-interview-christianity-reform-p6bmz0mth https://www.christiantoday.com/news/zia-yusuf-says-reform-would-protect-the-uk-s-christian-heritage

Lee Anderson calls protesters 'The Great Unwashed' and wagers many are on PIP

Category: discriminatory remark

In a post on X in late January 2026, Reform UK MP and the party's welfare spokesman Lee Anderson responded to a noisy protest outside a restaurant in Newcastle where Nigel Farage was dining, writing "The Great Unwashed. I’d wager half of them at least are on PIP." The comment was posted publicly on his X account while discussing the incident involving protesters. Anderson has served as Reform UK’s spokesman on welfare since September 2025. The remark targets disability benefit claimants and was made shortly before the Gorton and Denton by-election on 26 February 2026, where 10,036 people are recorded as receiving PIP. Reform’s candidate in that by-election, Matt Goodwin, has previously posted that many sickness benefit claimants are not genuinely sick.

Peter Colley left Reform UK alleging abuse and mistreatment by party management

Category: intimidation bullying

Location: Hertfordshire

Peter Colley, elected as a Reform UK councillor for Bedwell in Hertfordshire in May 2025, resigned from the party in February 2026 and joined Restore Britain. He alleged "abuse and mistreatment" by Reform UK management. The allegations were reported locally and have not been independently established. Reform UK has not published a detailed response.

Sources: https://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/politics/reform-councillor-defects-to-restore-britain-in-hertfordshire-alleging-abuse-and-mistreatment-from-management-5604832

John Roddy defected to the Conservatives criticising Reform UK over council finances

Category: party management issue

Location: Warrington

John Roddy was elected as Warrington''s only Reform UK councillor in a by-election for the Bewsey and Whitecross ward in August 2025 and defected to the Conservatives in February 2026. He said Reform UK lacked focus on the council''s financial problems. Reform UK has not published a detailed response to his criticism.

Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c309dg89grdo

Daniel Taylor jailed for controlling or coercive behaviour and lost council seat

Category: scandal

Location: Kent

Daniel Taylor was elected as the Reform UK councillor for Cliftonville in Kent in May 2025 and was suspended by the party soon afterwards amid misconduct allegations, after which he sat as an independent. In February 2026 he was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour towards his wife. The sentence disqualified him from serving as a councillor and his seat was vacated. Reform UK had already withdrawn its support before the case concluded.

Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c627ngz1k1eo

Matthew Goodwin promoted Islamophobic and 'Great Replacement' claims

Category: xenophobia

In January 2026 and in earlier interviews and online posts, Matthew Goodwin, Reform UK candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election, made a series of statements endorsing far-right ideas. On 30 January 2026 the far-right activist Tommy Robinson publicly urged supporters to vote for Goodwin and Goodwin did not immediately reject the endorsement; Goodwin has said that "millions of British Muslims... hold views that are fundamentally opposed to British values", called for a halt to Muslim immigration, and said 2063 is the year white Britons would become a minority. Reform UK said Robinson "isn't welcome in the party" and a party spokesperson defended the party's stance, while Labour chair Anna Turley publicly demanded Goodwin make clear whether he rejected Robinson's backing. HOPE not Hate director Joe Mulhall criticised Goodwin's shift to the right and described his remarks as extreme; Goodwin remains the Reform UK candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election.

Tice pictured with 'Suck it up' T-shirt mocking Kent council row

Category: inappropriate behaviour

Location: Kent

On 29 January 2026 the BBC reported that Richard Tice had been pictured holding a T-shirt reading "Suck it up", accompanied by the name "Linden" and a kiss. The wording referred to leaked footage, reported in October 2025, in which the Reform leader of Kent County Council, Linden Kemkaran, told a colleague to "suck it up" during internal disputes at the authority. Several Reform councillors were suspended or expelled in the aftermath of the leak. An independent member of the council described Tice's gesture as "wholly unprofessional and degrading".

Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mkyxydzydo https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/oct/18/suck-it-up-leaked-video-exposes-bitter-infighting-at-reform-uks-flagship-kent-council https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgkenn4r15o

Lee Anderson ridicules Hope Not Hate job advert with demeaning remarks

Category: discriminatory remark

On 2026-01-25 Lee Anderson, Reform UK's Chief Whip, mocked a Hope Not Hate job advertisement for a researcher to monitor Reform UK. He used wording including "Ex-benefits scrounger with purple hair, multiple piercings and a hatred of everything British required", "Tell daily lies about the British people" and "Keep taking the tablets. We particularly welcome applications from lunatics." The comments referred directly to the charity's advert for a researcher to monitor the party and used language aimed at benefit recipients and people with mental health conditions. Anderson remains Reform UK's Chief Whip.

Robert Jenrick vows mass deportations and to scrap the ECHR

Category: xenophobia

On 23 January 2026 Robert Jenrick, a former Conservative immigration minister who had recently defected to Reform UK, said on the Daily Expresso show that a Reform government would deploy Royal Navy vessels in the English Channel to stop small boat crossings. He said the party would scrap the European Convention on Human Rights and carry out "deportations on a very big scale" to remove people in the UK without the right to live here. He also said Reform would set a legally binding cap on migration aiming for "net zero or lower". Jenrick said the measures would include detention and deportation back to a person’s own country or to a third country. He said he would establish a new borders department and described the Home Office as not fit for purpose. Jenrick made the remarks after joining Nigel Farage’s party and they set out policy positions he is promoting within Reform UK.

Pochin backed Donald Trump's pressure on Greenland

Category: other

Location: United Kingdom

Speaking on a Mike Graham livestream in January 2026, Sarah Pochin defended Donald Trump's threats over Greenland, saying he was "raising a really important issue, the security now of the High North" with "two hostile superpowers circling up there in the Arctic", and that he was "shining a light on this issue, quite rightly in Reform's view". She said tariffs were not necessarily the right method but that he was "going in there with both barrels". The remarks placed a sitting British MP behind a foreign leader's territorial pressure on a European ally, rather than behind Greenland's right to self-determination. She framed the position as Reform UK's, not merely her own.

Sources: https://leftfootforward.org/2026/01/reform-mp-sarah-pochin-sides-with-trump-on-greenland-dispute/ https://hopenothate.org.uk/2026/01/21/reform-watch-18/