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 (2148)

Recorded party incidents (showing 401-439 of 439)

Lewis branded Christmas and Easter "demonic" and threatened "holy fire" on opponents

Category: offensive

Steven Lewis, a Reform UK candidate, ran a sustained personal campaign against Christmas, Easter and New Year celebrations, describing them as "demonic" or pagan. He also referred to himself online as the "Lion of Judah" and threatened "holy fire" on his opponents, framing ordinary political disagreement as spiritual warfare. The posts were surfaced in HOPE not hate's 30 April 2026 report "60 Reasons (and Counting) to Not Vote Reform on May 7th". Reform UK stood him for the 7 May 2026 elections despite claiming its vetting was "the best in the country".

Councillor faces allegations over WhatsApp messages calling for genocide

Category: hate speech

Councillor Tom Pickup is said to have been suspended by Reform UK while the party investigates reports about messages in a WhatsApp group. Local reports allege he was identified as a participant in a chat where messages reportedly called for "mass Islam genocide" and one message said the prime minister "needs a f***ing bullet". Pickup is said to have admitted to being in the group and reportedly expressed support for mass deportations during the exchange. Reform UK confirmed the suspension while its internal investigation is carried out.

Councillor suspended after alleged racist social media posts

Category: racism

Councillor James Regan was suspended by Reform UK pending an investigation after it was reported that he posted racist comments on social media relating to protests outside a hotel used to accommodate migrants in Epping. Reports say Regan described the site as a “paedophile babysitting centre”, called Islam “an evil criminal cartel of evil pedo’s [sic]” and wrote that “Islam will suck our benefit system dry”. A fellow Reform councillor, Jaymey McIvor, was reported to have warned him about his language on one of the videos. A Reform UK spokesman said, "Cllr Regan has been suspended from Reform UK pending investigation. We do not tolerate any forms of racism." Reporters were unable to contact Regan for comment.

Councillor apologises after comments described as 'blatant racism'

Category: racism

Councillor Mark Howard apologised after comments he made during a Gloucestershire County Council meeting were described by fellow councillors as "ridiculous" and "blatant racism". The remarks, made during a debate on the use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers, included a comment referencing Muslim women "walking three paces behind their husbands", which Howard addressed in a written apology and said "was not meant to cause offence" and "drew on unhelpful stereotypes". Conservative councillor Sajid Patel objected at the time and Conservative Group Leader Stephen Davies lodged a standards complaint and appealed to Reform UK central office. It was reported that Reform took no further action and that the complaint to Gloucestershire County Council was not progressed.

Councillor removed from committee after 'downright evil' remarks

Category: inappropriate behaviour

It was reported that Andy Osborn, a newly elected Reform UK county councillor, told a Cambridgeshire County Council children and young people committee meeting that some children in care were "not just naughty children, they can be downright evil", and he suggested their behaviour had been learned from parents. Local Reform UK group leader James Sidlow described the comments as "clumsy and regrettable" and said they did not reflect the local group or the national party. The party subsequently removed Osborn from his committee role and Sidlow said he would sit on the panel instead after the matter was dealt with internally. The council reaffirmed its commitment to children in care, and other councillors and officers emphasised that children taken into care may have experienced trauma which can lead to challenging behaviour.

Fox shared "Enoch Powell was Right!" meme and anti-Muslim bacon graphic

Category: offensive

Jonathan Fox, a Reform UK candidate, shared a meme referencing Enoch Powell's 1968 "Rivers of Blood" speech captioned "Enoch Powell was Right!", and a further graphic making an offensive claim linking people who eat bacon to protection from terrorism, an inversion designed to insult Muslims. "Rivers of Blood" is the most notorious anti-immigration speech in modern British political history and led to Powell being sacked from the shadow cabinet. The posts were surfaced in HOPE not hate's 30 April 2026 report "60 Reasons (and Counting) to Not Vote Reform on May 7th". Reform UK retained him for the 7 May 2026 elections despite claiming its vetting was "the best in the country".

Pullin endorsed "occupied country" framing and said Islam encourages murder of Jews and gay people

Category: offensive

Jamie Pullin, a Reform UK candidate, shared a video promoting the white supremacist framing of Britain as an "occupied country" and posted his endorsement of that argument. In a separate post he described Islam as "a belief system which encourages the murder of Kafir, Jews and homosexuals", collapsing an entire religion into a call for violence against non-Muslims, Jewish people and LGBT people. The posts were surfaced in HOPE not hate's 30 April 2026 report "60 Reasons (and Counting) to Not Vote Reform on May 7th". Reform UK kept him on the ticket for the 7 May 2026 elections despite its "best in the country" vetting claim.

Questions over councillor's police dismissal for honesty breaches

Category: ethics violation

Andrew Hamilton-Gray, a newly elected Reform UK councillor for Loughborough, was dismissed from Leicestershire Police in January 2024 following a misconduct panel finding. The panel found breaches of professional standards including "honesty and integrity, discreditable conduct, orders and instructions, and duties and responsibilities", and it was reported he called in sick hours before taking a ferry to Spain to sell a car and was later stopped while signed off sick during a test drive. Dismissing him, then chief constable Rob Nixon described his conduct as "deliberate" and said it was likely to "undermine confidence in policing". Mr Hamilton-Gray has said he has been advised not to comment, and the matter concerns past employment disciplinary action rather than conduct in his councillor role.

Councillor suspended after alleged far-right WhatsApp posts

Category: hate speech

County Councillor Tom Pickup (Reform UK) was suspended by the party after posting in a far-right WhatsApp group and making comments urging an expelled hardline MP to lead the party, while asserting that Reform UK was deliberately downplaying its immigration policy to be palatable to the public. It was reported that messages posted by others in the group included calls for Keir Starmer to be shot, talks of stockpiling weapons to commit domestic terrorism and extreme racist rhetoric, including calls for a "mass genocide of Islam". Pickup said he was not aware of those other posts, stated his contributions were months apart, and said he respected the party's decision and intends to sit as an independent while an investigation takes place.

Long-standing member resigned accusing party of betrayal

Category: party management issue

Patrick Benham-Crosswell, a long-standing Reform UK member from the Brexit Party era and a Senedd candidate for Gwyr Abertawe, resigned from the party entirely around 28 March 2026. He accused Reform of "betrayal" of early members' vision, criticising the party for parachuting outsiders into constituencies and losing its original values. He stated that "Reform has sunk deep into the sewer" and described the selection process as "increasingly dictatorial."

Candidate suspended over Covid Bounce Back Loan misconduct

Category: financial conduct concern

Reform UK's Holyrood candidate for Dundee City West, Stuart Niven, was suspended less than 24 hours after the party's Scottish candidate list was announced on 20 March 2026. The Herald revealed that Niven had been disqualified as a company director for seven years after diverting tens of thousands of pounds from a taxpayer-backed Covid Bounce Back Loan into his personal account while serving as director of Britannia Maritime Security Ltd, a Glasgow-based shipping security firm. Scotland leader Malcolm Offord said the party had "spent a lot of time on vetting" but suspended Niven "pending further investigation." No replacement has been named.

Candidate denies standing after name published on party list

Category: party management issue

Jordan Brown was listed as Reform UK's candidate for Aberdeen Central when the party's Holyrood candidate list was published on 20 March 2026. However, he immediately told the University of Aberdeen student paper The Gaudie: "I'm not a candidate." The incident appeared to be either an administrative error by the party or an instant change of mind, raising further questions about the vetting and selection process for Reform UK's Scottish campaign.

Candidate withdraws saying name published prematurely in error

Category: party management issue

Roland Jackson (also reported as Ronald Jackson), listed as Reform UK's candidate for Mid Fife and Glenrothes in the 2026 Holyrood elections, withdrew around 26-27 March 2026. He stated that he never intended to stand due to family reasons and that his name had been published "prematurely in error" by the party. The withdrawal was the latest in a string of early departures from Reform UK's Scottish slate.

Candidate withdrew after racist social media posts resurfaced

Category: racism

Linda Holt, Reform UK's candidate for North East Fife in the 2026 Holyrood elections, withdrew on 27 March 2026 citing "a lack of support from the party." Past social media posts resurfaced in which she called former First Minister Humza Yousaf a "grandstanding Islamist moron," referred to him as "a brown FM" and "not British," and claimed that asylum seekers posed a "higher sexual risk" to women than Scottish-born men. In her statement, Holt said: "Due to a lack of support from the party, I am withdrawing my candidacy for Reform with immediate effect."

Candidate quit citing ignored messages and unpaid web development work

Category: party management issue

James Glen, Reform UK's candidate for Edinburgh North Western in the 2026 Holyrood elections, withdrew on 28 March 2026 in solidarity with his partner Linda Holt. Glen also revealed he had provided months of free web-development work for the party, only to have his messages ignored by the Scottish organiser. In his statement on X, Glen wrote: "I have withdrawn my candidacy for Reform UK. I fully support Linda in her decision and the reasons behind it." He added: "They were happy to take my months of web development work for free though."

Mayor placed under investigation after historic discriminatory posts emerge

Category: social media conduct

Sue Eacock is the subject of an investigation into her online conduct. Media coverage states that Reform UK and local authorities were approached for comment but that neither the party nor Eacock had responded to requests at the time of reporting, and questions have been raised about her suitability for the ceremonial mayoralty in light of the posts.

Aaron Roy expelled by Reform UK weeks after defecting from Labour

Category: party management issue

Location: Hartlepool

Aaron Roy, a councillor in Hartlepool, joined Reform UK from Labour and was expelled by the party only weeks later following a dispute about flags in the town. Reform UK removed him from its group, and he no longer represents the party on the council. Trackers monitoring Reform UK councillor losses since the May 2025 elections record the expulsion among a series of early departures from the party's newly elected local base. Reform UK has not published a detailed account of the disciplinary decision.

Sources: https://www.markpack.org.uk/175342/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-may/

Scott Cameron had the Reform UK whip removed over claims he was considering defecting

Category: party management issue

Location: Warwickshire

Scott Cameron, elected as a Reform UK councillor in Warwickshire in May 2025, had the party whip removed over claims that he was considering defecting. He then joined Restore Britain alongside fellow Warwickshire councillor Luke Cooper. Reform UK has not published a detailed account of the decision.

Sources: https://www.markpack.org.uk/175342/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-may/

Luke Cooper had the Reform UK whip removed over claims he was considering defecting

Category: party management issue

Location: Warwickshire

Luke Cooper, elected as a Reform UK councillor in Warwickshire in May 2025, had the party whip removed over claims that he was considering defecting. He then joined Restore Britain alongside fellow Warwickshire councillor Scott Cameron. Reform UK has not published a detailed account of the decision to withdraw the whip.

Sources: https://www.markpack.org.uk/175342/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-may/

Questions over alleged racist posts by aides to Matt Goodwin

Category: racism

It was reported that an investigation by the Manchester Mill, referencing research from Hope Not Hate, identified five people who had campaigned with Matt Goodwin and who were said to have shared racist content online and expressed support for far‑right groups. The report allegedly highlighted social media posts by Goodwin’s interim campaign manager in Tameside, Adam Mitula, including suggestions that “60-70%” of transgender people were paedophiles, a statement that he would “never touch a Jewish woman”, and use of the n-word. The coverage also named other individuals pictured campaigning with Goodwin who were reported to have expressed support for far‑right groups or who had previously faced disciplinary action over posts described as discriminatory towards Muslims. Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell wrote to Goodwin urging him to distance himself from the material and to set out what disciplinary steps would be taken.

Addressed Glasgow rally alongside far-right activists, defended by Reform's Scottish deputy leader

Category: inappropriate behaviour

Reform councillor Audrey Dempsey spoke at a far-right rally in Glasgow alongside a prominent member of a group described as neo-Nazi and a self-proclaimed white nationalist. Reform's Scottish deputy leader Thomas Kerr later defended her attendance. On 25 July 2026, Dempsey addressed the Unite the Clans rally at Glasgow Green, claiming she was there to discuss the safety of women and girls. The event was attended by far-right activists and featured Nazi salutes and racist abuse. Dempsey later said she had seen nobody "even remotely resembling a Nazi". Serious disorder followed the rally. Police Scotland recorded violence, intimidation and hate-motivated offences across Glasgow city centre. Fifteen people were arrested for alleged offences including assault and possession of offensive weapons, while several weapons were recovered.

Bullock encouraged Muslims to join ISIS to "re-balance" the population

Category: offensive

Derek Bullock, a Reform UK candidate, is reported not to have denied calling Baroness Warsi "a cuckoo in the nest", describing the rise in the number of British Muslim children as a "ticking clock", supporting the English Democrats, or writing that Muslims should join ISIS to "re-balance" the population. He denies authoring a separate Facebook post about shooting a racial slur, saying that post was fake, but was expelled from the Conservative Party in 2023 over the wider pattern. The remarks were surfaced in HOPE not hate's 30 April 2026 report "60 Reasons (and Counting) to Not Vote Reform on May 7th", which documented Reform UK candidates whose public statements had already generated significant concern. Reform stood him for the 7 May 2026 elections despite claiming its vetting was "the best in the country".

Darren Rance joined Restore Britain then quit within two days

Category: party management issue

Location: North Northamptonshire

Darren Rance, elected as a Reform UK councillor in North Northamptonshire, joined Restore Britain and quit the new party within two days, announcing on social media that he wanted to rejoin Reform UK. He currently sits as an independent because Restore Britain was not yet registered with the Electoral Commission at the time. Reform UK has not confirmed whether he will be readmitted.

Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0q38q7jwllo

Chris Large resigned Staffordshire leadership roles before leaving Reform UK

Category: party management issue

Location: Staffordshire

Chris Large was due to succeed Ian Cooper as leader of Staffordshire County Council but resigned from his leadership roles, and has since left Reform UK to sit as an independent. The change followed a period of instability in the party''s group on the council. Reform UK has not published an account of the resignation.

Sources: https://www.markpack.org.uk/175342/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-may/

Tony Hill resigned Hertfordshire seat less than a year after narrow win

Category: party management issue

Location: Hertfordshire

Tony Hill was elected as a Reform UK councillor on Hertfordshire County Council in May 2025 after winning by 28 votes, and resigned his seat less than a year later. The departure added to a run of early exits from the party's 2025 councillor intake. Reform UK has not published an account of the resignation.

Sources: https://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/politics/reform-politician-elected-after-narrow-win-resigns-from-hertfordshire-county-council-5628570

Stuart Graham left the Reform UK group in Gloucestershire

Category: party management issue

Location: Gloucestershire

Stuart Graham quit the Reform UK group on Gloucestershire County Council to sit as an independent, while remaining a member of the party. No specific reason for the split was given publicly. Reform UK has not commented in detail on the decision.

Sources: https://www.theforestreview.co.uk/news/politics/reform-uk-councillor-stuart-graham-leaves-group-to-sit-as-independent-877813

Mark Whittington quit Reform UK 20 days after joining

Category: party management issue

Location: South Kesteven

Mark Whittington, a councillor in South Kesteven, quit Reform UK 20 days after joining the party and now sits as an independent. Trackers monitoring the party's councillor numbers record the departure among a wider set of short-lived affiliations. Reform UK has not published an account of the split.

Sources: https://www.markpack.org.uk/175342/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-may/

Reported to standards watchdog over crypto lobbying after meeting Bank of England governor

Category: undisclosed interest

In mid-2026 Nigel Farage was reported to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over alleged lobbying on cryptocurrency policy. He had met the Governor of the Bank of England and argued against the introduction of a state-backed stablecoin while supporting private-sector alternatives, including one connected to the interests of his donor Christopher Harborne. The referral was made in the context of wider scrutiny of undeclared gifts from crypto-linked figures. Farage and Reform UK said his position was consistent with long-standing pro-innovation views, and the Governor stated that no Bank of England policy had changed as a result of the meeting.

Personal service company Thorn in the Side Ltd reported for missed Companies House filings

Category: financial conduct concern

In June 2026 investigative reporting stated that Thorn in the Side Ltd, the personal service company through which Nigel Farage receives significant media and other outside earnings and of which he is sole director, had missed a Companies House confirmation-statement deadline and had not met related identity-verification requirements introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. Failure to file a confirmation statement within the statutory window can constitute a criminal offence under UK company law. The company has long handled substantial sums attributed to Farage's outside work, giving the compliance lapse added significance in the context of concurrent scrutiny of his financial affairs.

Undeclared benefits from convicted fraudster George Cottrell around 2024 campaign

Category: undisclosed interest

Reporting in July 2026 alleged that George Cottrell, a long-time associate of Nigel Farage and former UKIP head of fundraising who was convicted in the United States in 2016 following a money-laundering and wire-fraud sting operation, had provided Farage with staff and social-media support, personal security, accommodation including a townhouse and other benefits during and after the 2024 campaign. None of these benefits were declared in the register of members' interests. Related donations linked to Cottrell and his mother to Reform UK or associated entities were referred to the Electoral Commission and became the subject of a Metropolitan Police investigation, with individuals interviewed under caution and further National Crime Agency scrutiny of associated transactions. Farage and Reform UK denied that any rules had been broken and rejected suggestions that Cottrell held a formal role in the party operation.

MS James Evans joins Reform UK amid past criticism of party

Category: ethics violation

According to the Brecon & Radnor Express, James Evans joined Reform UK at a party conference in Newport on 5 February 2026, where he was welcomed to the lectern by party leader Nigel Farage. The article reports Mr Evans was sacked by the Conservatives in January amid suspicions he was planning to defect and subsequently sat as an independent MS before joining Reform UK. The same report notes Mr Evans had publicly criticised Reform UK in the past, saying it “does not have a plan for Wales,” and includes his statement that he had criticised the party previously but reassessed his view. Speaking to BBC Wales, First Minister Eluned Morgan is reported to have described Reform UK as “absolutely packed with Tories jumping ship… trying to save their own skins.”

Received undeclared £5m from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne before 2024 election

Category: undisclosed interest

Reporting in April 2026 revealed that Nigel Farage had received £5 million from Thailand-based crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne shortly before deciding to stand as a candidate in the 2024 general election. Farage described the transfer as an unconditional personal gift covering lifelong security costs and compensation linked to his Brexit work and lost earnings, and said that because it pre-dated his election as an MP he did not consider it a political donation requiring declaration. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards opened an investigation into whether declaration rules had been breached, with potential sanctions including suspension from the House. Banks handling the funds filed a suspicious activity report with the National Crime Agency over money-laundering concerns about the origin of the money. Harborne separately became a major donor to Reform UK, and further questions were raised about Farage's use of donor-linked transport and property.

Third candidate quit same constituency citing poor vetting and internal chaos

Category: party management issue

Owain Clatworthy, the number six candidate on Reform UK's list for Pen-y-Bont Bro Morgannwg in the 2026 Senedd elections, withdrew around 1 April 2026, becoming the third candidate to leave this single constituency in one week. He issued a scathing letter citing "poor internal decision making, lack of discipline and serious concerns around candidate selection." He referenced the Corey Edwards Nazi salute photograph as the final straw.

Parliamentary Commissioner found 17 breaches of MPs' code over late-registered outside earnings

Category: undisclosed interest

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards ruled in January 2026 that Nigel Farage had inadvertently breached the MPs' code of conduct on 17 occasions by failing to register outside earnings within the required 28-day window. The undeclared payments totalled roughly £384,000 and delays ranged from days to several months. The payments included income from GB News, the gold dealer Direct Bullion (for whom he acted as a brand ambassador), Google and X Corp among others. The Commissioner recommended no formal sanction. Farage apologised and attributed the delays to reliance on aides and limited personal use of computers.

Second candidate stood down from same constituency within days

Category: party management issue

Derek Roberts, the number two candidate on Reform UK's list for Pen-y-Bont Bro Morgannwg in the 2026 Senedd elections, stood down around 31 March to 1 April 2026, citing personal reasons. His departure was the second from this constituency within days, following lead candidate Corey Edwards. The rapid departures contributed to growing concerns about the stability of Reform UK's Welsh campaign ahead of the 7 May elections.

Sarah-Jane Shields removed as a Reform UK candidate in Basildon

Category: party management issue

Location: Basildon

Sarah-Jane Shields, a councillor for Wickford Park in Basildon, was removed as a Reform UK candidate and is standing as an independent in local elections in the borough. Reform UK has not published its reasons for the deselection. Trackers monitoring the party's councillor losses since May 2025 record the removal among a wider set of departures.

Sources: https://www.markpack.org.uk/175342/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-may/

Recorded incident

Category: hate speech

Andy Mahon has reportedly posted social media messages containing the n-word, homophobic remarks about Wes Streeting, and racist and sexist comments directed at Angela Rayner and other politicians. Local Reform leadership reportedly declined to suspend him. The local party chairman said the party "believes in freedom of speech" when refusing to take disciplinary action.

Andrew Thorp resigned Leicestershire seat months after election for Reform UK

Category: party management issue

Location: Leicestershire

Andrew Thorp was elected as a Reform UK councillor in Leicestershire in May 2025 and resigned his council seat during the same term, triggering a vacancy in the ward. Trackers monitoring Reform UK councillor losses since the May 2025 elections record his departure among a run of early exits from the party's new local base. Reform UK has not published an account of the circumstances.

Sources: https://www.markpack.org.uk/175342/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-may/