Reform UK has expelled its candidate in a Sefton council by-election after “unacceptable” comments surfaced on social media.
The party confirmed it had removed its support for Irene Davidson, who was due to stand as a candidate in the Blundellsands by-election on 19 June.
Davidson’s X account has now been deleted.
Some of the posts from Davidson’s account, seen by the BBC, included a cartoon of King Charles labelled as a traitor, and calls for Islam to be “eradicated” from the UK.
Despite being expelled from the party, Davidson will still appear on the ballot paper as Reform UK’s candidate as the papers have already been printed.
Reform candidate expelled over social media posts, BBC
Month: June 2025
Council boss quits, leaving 18-year-old in charge
The recently elected leader of Warwickshire County Council has resigned, leaving his 18-year-old deputy in charge.
Reform UK councillor Rob Howard, who was in power for 41 days, said he had made the decision with “much regret”, citing health reasons were behind his departure.
Council boss quits, leaving 18-year-old in charge, BBC
Leicestershire social workers object to Reform policy they fear ‘promotes exclusion and marginalisation’
Removing these flags promotes exclusion and marginalisation – it implies people represented by those flags are not welcome
More than 100 Leicestershire social workers have spoken out against a new Reform UK policy they fear “promotes exclusion and marginalisation”. Their comments follow a decision by Reform to change which flags can fly at the Leicestershire County Council headquarters, in Glenfield.
The new policy means that community flags, such as the Pride flag and the disabled people’s flag, will not automatically be raised in the inner quadrangle at County Hall to celebrate events and celebration days. Instead, a decision will be taken by the chief executive “following consultation with the leader of the council”, the party’s Dan Harrison, over whether they can fly or not, leading some to fear they will not be flown going forward.
Some 102 social workers at the council have now written to councillors and the new Reform cabinet to “loudly” and “overwhelmingly” oppose the change in policy. They said they felt that flying community flags was a “vitally important” symbol from the council that it was “supportive of marginalised groups”.
Leicestershire social workers object to Reform policy they fear ‘promotes exclusion and marginalisation’, www.leicestermercury.co.uk
Police officer dismissed over basketball row now running as Reform UK candidate in Mendip by-election
A FORMER police officer who was dismissed after a “misuse of his position” in a row over a basketball is now standing as a Reform UK candidate in a council by-election.
Stuart Ball was dismissed from Avon and Somerset Police in 2019 after a “ridiculous and disproportionate spat” with Sports Direct staff over a basketball which, a misconduct panel heard, culminated in him making criminal allegations against the store’s manager.
Mr Ball insisted he had not been treated fairly and the issue had been “blown out of proportion.”
Now he is hoping to be elected as the first Reform UK councillor on Bath and North East Somerset Council in the by-election for the Mendip ward on July 3.
Police officer dismissed over basketball row now running as Reform UK candidate in Mendip by-election, www.mnrjournal.co.uk
Reform’s ‘Britannia cards’ will cost £34 billion
Speaking today at Church House in Westminster, Nigel Farage announced that Reform will introduce a ‘Britannia card’ that will let wealthy foreigners pay a £250,000 fee to move to the UK, and live here exempt from all tax on their foreign assets. The move is an attempt to win over ‘non-doms’ alienated by Labour and Conservative governments and bring their wealth back into the country.
The party says the policy will raise between £1.5 and £2.5 billion annually. Our analysis of the data suggests it is more likely to cost around £34 billion over five years.
Reform’s ‘Britannia cards’ will cost £34 billion, www.spectator.co.uk
‘Get Some Help’: David Lammy Mocks Reform MP For Repeating ‘Conspiracy Theory’ In Commons
David Lammy accused a Reform UK MP of “swallowing conspiracy theories” over a question she asked him in the House of Commons.
The foreign secretary told Sarah Pochin to “get some help” after she suggested the government’s controversial decision to give the Chagos Islands to Mauritius had played a part in America’s plans for bombing Iran.
‘Get Some Help’: David Lammy Mocks Reform MP For Repeating ‘Conspiracy Theory’ In Commons, Huff Po
From Lawnmower Mishaps to Expenses Scandals: 10 Fresh Embarrassments for Reform UK
A week is a long time in politics and never has that been more the case than with Reform UK.
In recent weeks we’ve been closely following the party’s dozen councils they took control of back in May and detailing the many scandals, resignations, cancelled meetings and culture wars they have been getting themselves involved in.
After each piece we publish, we’ve been inundated with yet more examples of what’s been happening as Nigel Farage’s fledgling party meets the reality of actually managing local government, as well as holding ministers to account nationally.
Here’s a roundup of just some of what we’ve seen over the past week.
From Lawnmower Mishaps to Expenses Scandals: 10 Fresh Embarrassments for Reform UK, bylinetimes.com
Lammy urges Reform’s newest MP to ‘get some help’ over ‘conspiracy theories’
David Lammy has urged a Reform UK MP to “get some help” because she is “swallowing conspiracy theories”.
Sarah Pochin had asked the Foreign Secretary whether the US felt unable to use the UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia, following the Government’s deal with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands.
Responding during a statement on the Middle East, Mr Lammy said the MP for Runcorn and Helsby should “get off social media”.
[…]
Mr Lammy replied: “The honourable lady has got (to) get off social media, has got to get some help… because she is swallowing conspiracy theories that should not be repeated in this House.”
Lammy urges Reform’s newest MP to ‘get some help’ over ‘conspiracy theories’
The Ordinary Reform Councillor With A Lot Of Bigoted Views
Deadline looms to register to vote in £27k by-election after Reform councillor quits
The by-election is expected to cost taxpayers £27,000
The deadline to register to vote in a by-election triggered by the resignation of a Reform UK councillor after just a fortnight is now looming. People in Eccleshall and Gnosall have a week to register to vote in next month’s Staffordshire County Council by-election which is costing taxpayers £27,000.
Former Eccleshall & Gnosall councillor Wayne Titley was one of 49 Reform candidates to be elected onto the council as the party secured a landslide victory on May 1.
But just two weeks later he resigned after coming under intense online criticism of social media posts attributed to him, including one which called for the Royal Navy to shoot at small boats in the English Channel.
Deadline looms to register to vote in £27k by-election after Reform councillor quits, www.stokesentinel.co.uk
Newly-recruited Reform councillor under fire after voicemail message branded racist
A newly-recruited Reform councillor is under fire for comments made about the Pakistani community in a voicemail left to a journalist.
On Wednesday 18 June, Councillor Andrew Barry, who is a Reform councillor for Merthyr Tydfil Council, left a voicemail seemingly in error to an ITV Wales journalist.
In it, he is having a conversation with an unknown second person about the benefits system and housing. He goes on to say: “They’re putting the immigrants in the HMOs. They’re everywhere. The problem we’ve got, no one’s interested… (Inaudible)
[…]
Newly-recruited Reform councillor under fire after voicemail message branded racist, ITV
Reform UK councillor reported to police for potential election expenses breach
A REFORM UK member has been reported to police for potentially breaching election campaign spending limits.
Neil Stevens, who won the Alphington and Cowick seat in May’s Devon County Council elections by just 72 votes, has been reported by a fellow Reform UK councillor for the alleged overspend, and for a suspected false election expenses return submission.
Reform UK councillor reported to police for potential election expenses breach, www.creditoncourier.co.uk
Reform councillors reported to police by colleague
Infighting in the Reform UK party in Devon has seen two county councillors and an election agent reported to police by a colleague over election expenses.
Neil Stevens and his brother Tony were elected for Reform in May and documents seen by the BBC allege Neil Stevens spent about £170 more than the campaign spending limit.
This was reported to police by Ed Hill, who was also elected for Reform in May and was the chairman of the Exeter branch but was removed from the post for what the party says was bringing it “into disrepute”.
Reform councillors reported to police by colleague, BBC
Nigel Farage blames admin error for candidates praising Hitler
Reform UK leader blames botched vetting contract for slew of controversial candidates.
When your election candidates keep praising Hitler, something’s probably gone wrong.
Nigel Farage blamed failures by a “reputable vetting company” for a slew of controversies which have hit election candidates standing for his Reform UK party in recent weeks.
One praised Adolf Hitler as “brilliant,” said he was “able to inspire people to action,” and called Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine “legitimate.” Another said Britain “should have accepted Hitler’s offer of neutrality” in the run-up to the Second World War.
Nigel Farage blames admin error for candidates praising Hitler, www.politico.eu
Reform councillors ‘not invited’ to Miners’ Gala
Reform UK councillors have not been formally invited to the 139th Durham Miners’ Gala after taking control of the local authority.
Durham Miners Association (DMA) said the party had “chosen to criticise” the group publicly for its lack of invitation, but said it would not “abandon” its principles.
Reform councillors ‘not invited’ to Miners’ Gala, BBC
Resignations, Cancelled Meetings and Culture Wars: How Reform UK Councils Are Descending Into Chaos
Nigel Farage’s band of newly-elected councillors are already starting to struggle, reports Josiah Mortimer
After the election counts finished and the camera crews headed home, Reform UK councillors – over 800 of them now, running 12 councils – had to grapple with a new question: ‘What are we going to do now?’
Now that question is starting to be answered.
We’ve dug through local news coverage and talked to local constituents and opposition councillors on the ground to figure out what the new Reform councils have been up to. It’s not been smooth sailing, to say the least.
Across England there have been stories of cancelled meetings, suspensions, resignations, and more than a few culture wars.
Here’s just Reform’s local councillors have been getting up to since May 1st. It’s not been smooth running.
Resignations, Cancelled Meetings and Culture Wars: How Reform UK Councils Are Descending Into Chaos, Josiah Mortimer, bylinetimes.com
Reform UK raised even less in new funding than headline figures suggest
Low donations reflect leader Nigel Farage’s difficulty in capitalising on party’s political momentum and polling lead
Reform UK secured less than £1mn in new funding in the first quarter of this year, a smaller figure than previously known, as the party struggles to expand its donor base beyond a handful of longtime backers.
Headline figures for political donations suggested Reform pulled in close to £1.5mn in the first three months of 2025, but £613,000 of that figure reflected the conversion of historic loans into donations, the party said.
The loans were from Tisun Investments Limited, a company owned by Richard Tice, Reform’s deputy leader and one of its five MPs, who has for years been a primary funding source for the rightwing populist party.
Reform UK raised even less in new funding than headline figures suggest, Anna Gross and Cynthia O’Murchu in London, ft.com
Reform council brings in ‘British values’ flag rules
Leicestershire County Council’s new Reform leadership has scrapped the authority’s flag flying policy in its first cabinet meeting.
The move, approved at a meeting on Thursday, means a previously agreed schedule of flags to be displayed outside County Hall in Glenfield has been discontinued.
The list included flags to mark events celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Gypsy Roma and Traveller History Month and Windrush Day.
New Reform council leader Dan Harrison said the changes to flag flying protocols were “to celebrate British values that unite us all”.
Some staff groups at the council, where Reform formed a minority administration following May’s local elections, raised concerns about the move.
Harrison described the eight-minute cabinet meeting, which had only the flag flying policy on the agenda, as “historic”.
Reform council brings in ‘British values’ flag rules, BBC
Who’s funding Reform – and why?
Nigel Farage says his party is a break from the political establishment. That claim doesn’t match up with its donors
Reform has received almost £5m from wealthy donors since 2023, including those with links to fossil fuels, the financial services industry and tax havens, openDemocracy can reveal.
[…]
But what does the £4.8m of donations tell us about Reform’s aims, especially if it were to win office at the next general election? openDemocracy analysed the past 18 months of donations data to shed light on who is donating to the party – and where their interests lie.
Our findings reveal that, despite claiming to represent a break with the current political establishment, Reform is largely funded by ex-Tory donors, who account for around a quarter of the £4.8m it has received in large donations (only those who give £11,180 or more in a year need to be declared to the Electoral Commission) since 2023.
We also found that Reform has an unusually high number of overseas backers with links to tax havens, which the party has publicly stated is part of its fundraising strategy.
Who’s funding Reform – and why?, opendemocracy.net
We gave the Reform UK logo a controversial isPants.com makeover that’s sure to annoy someone.
In so far as is possible under law, these images are placed into the public domain.
Ex-Labour councillor who defected to Reform distances himself from ‘racist’ Anas Sarwar advert
Jamie McGuire – who joined Nigel Farage’s party last week – told the Holyrood Sources podcast he would have focussed the advert on the economy instead.
Ex-Labour councillor who defected to Reform distances himself from ‘racist’ Anas Sarwar advert, dailyrecord.co.uk
Merseyside Reform candidate removed as social media posts surface week before election
A Reform UK candidate has been expelled after “unacceptable” comments surfaced on social media. Reform UK confirmed it had removed Irene Davidson, who was due to stand as a candidate in the Blundellsands by-election taking place next Thursday, June 19.
In recent days posts on Ms Davidson’s X account had been re-shared on the social media platform by other users highlighting the language used in them. A spokesperson for Reform told the ECHO the social media account had not been disclosed to the party’s vetting team.
Merseyside Reform candidate removed as social media posts surface week before election, www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
Cllr Daniel Taylor is no longer in Reform UK?
Zia Yusuf announces return to Reform UK two days after quitting as chair
Zia Yusuf, who resigned as Reform UK chairman on Thursday, is to return to work for the party in a new role.
Yusuf will lead what the party calls its “Doge team” – which is modelled on the Department of Government Efficiency set up by US President Donald Trump.
Earlier this week, Yusuf quit the party, saying working to get it elected was no longer “a good use of my time”, without expanding further.
Zia Yusuf announces return to Reform UK two days after quitting as chair, BBC
Why Zia Yusuf’s resignation matters for Reform UK
The resignation of Zia Yusuf as Reform UK’s chairman matters because he was a central character in the stand out trend in British politics since the general election – the rise and rise of Nigel Farage’s party.
After 11 months in the role, Yusuf said on Thursday that working to get the party elected was no longer “a good use of my time”, without expanding further.
Farage described Yusuf as a huge factor in Reform’s success in last month’s elections, but added that he believed he had “had enough” of politics.
It comes after Yusuf said it was “dumb” for Reform’s newest MP to call for a ban for the burka – a veil worn by some Muslim women that covers the face and body.
Why Zia Yusuf’s resignation matters for Reform UK, Chris Mason, Political editor, BBC
Question about a ban on burkas from Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin “dumb”.
The unelected chair of the party stood down from his role in the party, following a row in which he called a question from a Reform MP about banning burkas “dumb”.
Zia Yusuf: Chairman of Reform UK resigns, Sky News
Zia Yusuf resigns as Reform UK chairman
Zia Yusuf has resigned as the chairman of Reform UK, saying working to get the party elected was no longer “a good use of my time”.
Zia Yusuf resigns as Reform UK chairman, BBC
Fiscal recklessness aside, it’s the super-rich who’ll benefit from Reform UK policies
Nigel Farage claimed last week to speak for the working class but he is still firmly wedded to the rightwing playbook
For a politician who has done more than most to shape Britain’s current challenges, nothing seems to stick to Nigel Farage. Not the chaos of the post-Brexit referendum years; or the contradiction of his closed-border English nationalism combined with a fondness for courting nomad capitalists from Malaysia to Mar-a-Lago.
[…]
However, something is lost in the argument about Farageonomics. Not only are the party’s numbers hardly better than scribblings on the back of one of its leader’s umpteen fag packets, but there is a more fundamental problem: his plans would not help the communities that Reform claims to champion.
Fiscal recklessness aside, it’s the super-rich who’ll benefit from Reform UK policies, Richard Partington, The Guardian
Inferior pension schemes won’t create savings nor recruit vital staff
Commenting on remarks made by Richard Tice about preventing new recruits to Reform-controlled councils from joining the local government pension scheme alongside threats to cut the pay of existing employees, UNISON assistant general secretary Jon Richards said today (Thursday):
“This looks like another Reform UK policy scribbled on the back of a beer mat.
“Local authorities are obliged to offer access to the local government pension scheme to all new starters.
“The scheme is well-funded and affordable. Many council employees aren’t on final salary schemes anyway.
“Forcing council staff on to inferior pensions would leave retired workers much poorer and add to the already severe recruitment crisis in local government.
“Employees’ pensions aren’t the reason why many councils are on a financial precipice. It’s the decade and more of draconian budget cuts under Conservative governments.
“Reform claims to be on the side of workers. But declaring ‘war’ on low-paid staff won’t serve communities or cut budgets.”
Reform UK’s pension plan deserves early retirement, www.unison.org.uk
Reform councillors aged 19 and 22 in charge of children’s and adult services at local authority
Social workers raise questions over clash of values and lack of experience of new lead members at Leicestershire County Council
Concerns are mounting over the appointment of two Reform councillors as political leads for children’s and adults services in Leicestershire.
Joseph Boam, 22, now heads up adult social care at Leicestershire County Council (LCC), and Charles Pugsley, 19, who is still at university, has been made cabinet member for children and family services.
The pair were appointed following the local elections in May, and are responsible for multi-million pound budgets.
Reform councillors aged 19 and 22 in charge of children’s and adult services at local authority, basw.co.uk
Reform UK chair Zia Yusuf says role is ‘no longer good use of my time’
Reform UK chair Zia Yusuf resigns from party
Senior figure in populist movement says role is ‘no longer good use of my time’
Reform UK chair Zia Yusuf has resigned from Nigel Farage’s populist party after criticising comments by one of its MPs about burkas, saying that he no longer believes the role is a “good use of my time”.
Reform UK chair Zia Yusuf resigns from party, ft.com
Political CUSTARD: IN LIMBO! Reform Run Nottinghamshire County Council Cancels Meetings And Don’t Bother Turning Up
No time frame for Reform Doge review in Kent
Reform UK have warned their Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) unit “will take as long as it takes” to provide recommendations.
On Monday the Doge team arrived at Kent County Council (KCC) in Maidstone for their first meeting.
Party chairman Zia Yusuf met leader Linden Kemkaran along with senior staff, accompanied by millionaire party backer Arron Banks and Nathaniel Fried, a tech entrepreneur said to be leading the Doge unit.
The party plans to use artificial intelligence, advanced data analysis tools and forensic auditing techniques to “identify wasteful spending and recommend actionable solutions”.
No time frame for Reform Doge review in Kent, BBC
Does reform not know how councils work that it threatens our privacy?
Kent County Councillor, Tim Prater of the Liberal Democrats, has roundly condemned Reform’s latest attempt to emulate Donald Trump.
In a letter to Kent County Council (KCC) signed by Linden Kemkaran (KCC leader for Reform), Nigel Farage, and Zia Yusuf, Reform have demanded access to all KCC data (even sensitive information about residents) for a group of unelected persons that Reform has chosen not to let the public know about.
Cllr Prater called it an “attack on Kent by Reform UK national leadership”.
This embarrassing, threatening and totally misjudged letter to Kent County Council tonight is an attack on Kent by Reform UK national leadership, countersigned by their new Kent leader who clearly doesn’t have a clue.
Anyone with the first understanding of how local Government has worked for the last 30 years knows the information they request is almost all public anyway. I suggest their highly expert DOGE team try “googling a bit”.
The rest is either subject to the same FOI constraints as apply to the public or other Councillors. To suggest there is top secret information here is nonsense on shifts, brought to you by people who have no understanding of how any public organisation in this country works. Mainly because they have never worked within local government in this country.
The irony that they have not released the “appended” list of “DOGE” representatives who should be given access to any data they imagine is interesting is not lost on us. They can ask for information on millions of Kent residents, thousands of Kent employees, but you won’t even tell us who they are?
The Lib Dems stand with Kent residents, and Kent County Council staff.
There is a process. That process includes the Council meetings your administration have cancelled at KCC over the next 3 weeks. They can ask for information in a public and democratically accountable way. You might not understand the process, but that’s your fault, not theirs.
DOGE in the USA just fell apart, having failed to find much of interest or actual saving, making a highly embarrassing series of blunders, some life threatening, and its leader Musk slamming the most recent Government bill and then quitting to spend more time with his failing business. To visit that pain on Kent is to hold us in contempt. We say no.
Liberal Democrat Cllr Tim Prater, via Facebook
Political CUSTARD: Reform Run Kent County Council Becomes Kent County Cancel In The Hands Of Ex Tory Linden Kemkaren
Reform accused of ‘paralysing’ Kent Council amid spate of cancelled meetings
“This isn’t Reform. It’s paralysis.”
The Lib Dems have accused Reform UK of causing ‘paralysis’ at Kent Council, after the party cancelled multiple scrutiny meetings this month.
The Reform-run council held its first full county council meeting on 22 May, when it elected its new leader and appointed a cabinet. Since then, Reform has cancelled or postponed several scheduled committee meetings.
Nigel Farage’s party took 57 out of 81 Kent County Council seats at the local elections on 1 May.
Folkestone and Hythe Lib Dems said in a statement that Reform has also yet to confirm which, if any, scrutiny committees will be formed.
The statement said: “For the first three weeks of June, there were FIVE committee meetings timetabled. FOUR have been cancelled.”
Reform has cancelled committee meetings on topics including health, planning, and governance so far.
Reform accused of ‘paralysing’ Kent Council amid spate of cancelled meetings, leftfootforward.org