East Hampshire could switch from Conservative to Liberal Democrat if an election were held today, according to a new YouGov poll.
The survey also predicts that nine Hampshire constituencies would be won by Reform UK.
The second YouGov poll of 13,000 voters since the last general election projects a Reform UK government winning 311 seats, just 15 short of a majority.
Poll predicts East Hampshire could turn Lib Dem as Reform UK surge across county, farnhamherald.com
Category: In The News
Richard Tice has 15-year record of supporting ‘net stupid zero’ initiatives
Firms led by deputy Reform UK leader since 2011 have shown commitment to saving energy and cutting CO2 emissions
He never seems to tire of deriding “net stupid zero”, but Reform UK’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, has a 15-year business record of support for sustainability and green energy initiatives.
The Reform party has made opposition to green energy and net zero part of its policy platform. Its founder, Nigel Farage, has called net zero policies a “lunacy”; the party has called to lift the ban on fracking for fossil gas; and one of the first Reform-led councils, Kent, rescinded last month its declaration of a climate emergency.
Richard Tice has 15-year record of supporting ‘net stupid zero’ initiatives, Damien Gayle Environment correspondent, The Guardian, Fri 10 Oct 2025
Doncaster Council: Reform UK secures unplanned full council meeting to re-appoint committee chairs
Reform UK have secured an extraordinary meeting of the City of Doncaster Council in attempts to regain control of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee (OSMC).
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands the meeting, scheduled for October 23, 2025, will see the party nominate new chairs and vice-chairs of various council committees.
A group spokesperson declined to comment on their exact plans for the meeting, including on who they would be nominating to chair key committees.
Doncaster Council: Reform UK secures unplanned full council meeting to re-appoint committee chairs, Doncaster Free Press
Reform councillor and Tommy Robinson allies back ‘completely untrue’ RE claims
A Reform UK councillor chaired a meeting at which a Welsh far-right hate group spread ‘untrue’ claims about religious education, a Swansea primary school has claimed.
Reform councillor Francesca O’Brien chaired the meeting alongside members of Voice of Wales – a group designated as a hate organisation by Hope Not Hate, with links to the former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson. The meeting centred on entirely unsubstantiated allegations that pupils at Sea View Community Primary School had been forced to pray on Muslim mats and recite Islamic prayers. The school has said the accusations are ‘untrue’.
Reform councillor and Tommy Robinson allies back ‘completely untrue’ RE claims, humanists.uk
Reform UK likely to raise council tax in Kent despite promise to cut costs
Kent becomes latest local authority controlled by Nigel Farage’s party to signal intention to raise council tax
A Reform UK-run council where the party sought to pilot drastic cost-cutting plans is going to have to raise council tax, a cabinet member has admitted.
Services at Kent county council were already “down to the bare bones”, said Reform’s cabinet member for adult social care, Diane Morton. It makes Kent the latest local authority controlled by Nigel Farage’s party to signal its intention to raise council tax.
Reform UK likely to raise council tax in Kent despite promise to cut costs, The Guardian
Reform UK councillor denies election crime
Andy Osborn, 74, who is a member of Cambridgeshire County Council, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with making or publishing a false statement before or during an election in relation to the candidate’s personal character or conduct, under the Representation of the People Act 1983.
Reform UK councillor denies election crime, BBC
- Note: Andy Osborn recently made headlines for another reason
Councillor to be investigated over ‘evil’ remark
A councillor who was heard to describe some children in care as “downright evil” is being investigated for an alleged breach of the members’ code of conduct.
Cambridgeshire County Council has confirmed an investigation into the allegation against Reform UK member Andy Osborn is taking place after a complaint was lodged.
Councillor to be investigated over ‘evil’ remark, BBC
Countdown: The steady shedding of Reform councillors and officials continues…
Drunken displays, racist rants and dodgy deals are just some of the reasons that Reform councillors and officials are dropping like flies…
While Reform UK can celebrate a steady drumbeat of defections and by-elections boosting their number of councillors, they’re finding it somewhat hard to keep hold of the ones they’ve already got. The party managed to shed a remarkable eight councillors in September alone, and have lost 24 since May, for a variety of embarrassing reasons.
To make matters worse, even Reform HQ staff are not safe from the perpetual churn. Read on for a breakdown of those suspended, expelled and otherwise exiled from the Reform Party movement over the past few months…
Countdown: The steady shedding of Reform councillors and officials continues…, Hope not Hate
Reform-run Kent council plans £2m school budget raid
Leaders say proposals fly in face of pre-election pledges to identify efficiencies and savings from Musk-style DOGE unit
Reform UK-run Kent council plans to raid £2 million from schools’ already-squeezed budgets to pay for vital services it can no longer afford, sparking fears of more classroom cuts.
Leaders say the proposals fly in the face of Reform’s pre-election pledges to identify efficiencies and savings through a pilot of its own Elon Musk-style DOGE unit.
The party also admitted this week it’s likely to hike council tax charges for its residents.
Reform-run Kent council plans £2m school budget raid, Schools Week
Reform leader admitted taking bribes
Nathan Gill, who led Reform UK in Wales in 2021, admitted taking bribes to make statements in favour of Vladimir Putin’s Russia while he was a Member of the European Parliament.
Nigel Farage says Nathan Gill was ‘bad apple’ over Russian bribes, The National
Councillor quits Reform UK over divergent views
Reform UK’s deputy group leader on Cornwall Council has resigned from the party citing a difference in views.
Rowland O’Connor was one of 28 Reform councillors who won a seat during the local elections in May.
The councillor for St Columb Major, St Mawgan and St Wenn said it had become clear his priorities had “increasingly diverged” from the party’s and he had decided to sit as an independent.
Councillor quits Reform UK over divergent views, BBC
Reform UK removes posts after Labour legal threat
Reform UK has deleted social media posts after receiving a legal letter from the Labour Party.
Addressed to Llŷr Powell, Reform UK’s by-election candidate, the letter accused Reform of using copyrighted images in its material for the Caerphilly by-election.
On 7 October, Labour gave the party 24 hours to remove an image featuring the first minister and candidate Richard Tunnicliffe, warning that failure to do so could lead to legal proceedings.
Reform UK removes posts after Labour legal threat, BBC
Reform UK’s ex-leader in Wales Nathan Gill pleads guilty to bribery charges
Gill admits to eight counts of bribery relating to statements in favour of Russia in the European parliament
The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has pleaded guilty to bribery charges relating to statements in favour of Russia in the European parliament.
Nathan Gill, of Anglesey, north Wales, admitted eight counts of bribery on dates between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019.
Reform UK’s ex-leader in Wales Nathan Gill pleads guilty to bribery charges, The Guardian
Reform UK county councillor defects to UKIP
A Reform UK county councillor in Kent has defected to UKIP, it has been announced.
Amelia Randall, who serves the Birchington & Rural division in Thanet, has left the party four months after being elected.
A Reform UK spokesperson said: “We remain committed to our mission of delivering for our residents and ensuring Nigel Farage becomes Britain’s next Prime Minister.”
Opposition leader at Kent County Council, Antony Hook, has called for Randall to resign and a by-election to be called.
He said: “She should resign so that Birchington residents can make a fresh choice about who they want to represent them.”
Reform UK county councillor defects to UKIP, BBC
Stamp Duty ‘Hypocrite’, says Mirror
Luxury house Farage boasted of buying was purchased by his partner…slashing the tax paid by £44,000 STAMP DUTY ‘HYPOCRITE’
The Mirror (UK Newspaper) headline
Reform Council Bans All Mentions of Climate Change While Quietly Taking Green Funds From Government
Reform-run West Northamptonshire is removing all references to ‘climate change’ and ‘net zero’ from official documents, yet continuing to take government green grants
The Reform UK-run council in West Northamptonshire is systematically removing all references to climate change and net zero from its strategies, website and documents, Byline Times can reveal – while simultaneously continuing to take Government cash for green projects.
The move follows the council scrapping its net zero targets, in a controversial decision last Wednesday that sparked local protests. The news was announced in an article in The Telegraph – around two hours before the actual decision had been voted on.
Reform Council Bans All Mentions of Climate Change While Quietly Taking Green Funds From Government, bylinetimes.com
Reform UK votes for cabinet-led review of flags that can be flown at County Hall
A row has broken out over Reform UK’s plans to limit the type of flags flown over Lancashire County Council’s headquarters.
The authority’s ruling group voted to launch a cabinet-led review of the symbols that can be raised at County Hall in Preston.
However, the party has already nailed its preferences to the mast, claiming that the proposed changes are designed to unify all Lancastrians under the banners of Lancashire and the UK – regardless of other aspects of their identity.
But opposition groups noted that the Pride flag, representing the LGBT community, would be the principal casualty of the rethink – and accused Reform of engaging in a culture war.
Reform UK votes for cabinet-led review of flags that can be flown at County Hall, blogpreston.co.uk
Reform UK councillor expelled from party
A Reform UK councillor who was elected to Devon County Council in May has been expelled from the party.
Reform UK said it had expelled Ed Hill for publishing a letter about free school meals in the name of all Reform Devon councillors without their consent.
Reform UK councillor expelled from party, BBC
Reform UK in THIRD place as Nigel Farage’s party loses Staffordshire by-election
The Conservatives have won back Eccleshall & Gnosall on Staffordshire County Council
Reform UK has lost one of the Staffordshire County Council seats it won on May 1 – just 78 days after that landslide victory. Reform UK swept to power in May after winning 49 of the 62 Staffordshire County Council divisions.
But a by-election was triggered just days later after offensive social media posts from Councillor Wayne Titley led to his resignation. Now the Conservatives have regained Eccleshall & Gnosall following this morning’s election result.
Reform UK in THIRD place as Nigel Farage’s party loses Staffordshire by-election, stokesentinel.co.uk
Reform MP’s questionable claims about street problems anger residents
Angry residents have criticised their MP after she claimed their street had been blighted by violence and anti-social behaviour caused by illegal immigration.
Sarah Pochin, the Reform MP for Runcorn and Helsby in Cheshire, said in a video posted on Facebook she had received “disturbing reports” from residents and businesses about incidents happening in Greenway Road, Runcorn.
Residents said this portrayal of their street was “untrue” while Cheshire Constabulary said it had received no such reports.
MP’s claims about street problems anger residents, BBC
Reform UK’s Caroline Gladwin questioned over appalling living conditions of her rental flat
An Isle of Wight housing committee councillor who was previously hit with warning notices over the state of a flat she rented out came under fire this week.
At Wednesday evening’s full council meeting, Reform UK’s new Central Rural representative Caroline Gladwin was the subject of a member question directed at Councillor Clare Mosdell, Conservative chair of the adult social care, public health and housing needs committee.
Reform UK’s Caroline Gladwin questioned over ‘appalling living conditions’ of her rental flat, On The Wight
Nigel Farage’s DOGE firebrands are already at war
Reform UK is mounting an Elon Musk-inspired bid to slash state “waste.” The fireworks have already begun.
MAIDSTONE, England — Half an hour into a Kent County Council meeting, council leader Linden Kemkaran has already taken aim at trans women in a “wig and a skirt” and migrants “invading” Britain.
This is the Garden of England — home to farmers, commuters, vineyards, seaside poverty, rich London escapees, and the beaches where tens of thousands of migrants have landed in inflatable dinghies — and it now belongs to Reform UK.
Nigel Farage’s DOGE firebrands are already at war, politico.eu
For two months after Reform UK took over the council the council failed to conduct business…
Reform UK’s Kent conundrum
Holding office in local government is a poisoned chalice for a party that bases its electoral appeal around issues where it has no power whatsoever, argues NICK WRIGHT
For two months after Reform UK took over the council the council failed to conduct business, subcommittees were cancelled, Reform UK councillors failed to sign their declaration of acceptance of office, others failed to complete their register of interests and the planning committee’s work was on hold after half the Reform UK members failed to turn up for their statutory training that qualifies them to take planning decisions.
Reform UK’s Kent conundrum, morningstaronline.co.uk
Reform UK leader defends £190k-per-year plan to bring in political assistants at Warwickshire County Council
The interim leader of Warwickshire County Council has defended plans to bring in political assistants costing up to £190,000 per year in the face of outrage from other parties.
Councillor George Finch (Reform UK, Bedworth Central) confirmed he had instigated the proposals that will be considered by all councillors next week.
They would see the biggest three parties at Shire Hall – Reform, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives – have a dedicated council officer to “undertake research and provide administrative support to members of political groups in the discharge of any of their (council) functions”, although the Lib Dems have spoken out to object to the idea.
National legislation allows councils to employ up to three people, one for each of the council’s three biggest groups provided they have at least 10 per cent of the seats available.
Reform UK leader defends £190k-per-year plan to bring in political assistants at Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire World
Reform led County Durham Council scraps climate declaration
It was reported on 16 July that County Durham council, presently dominated by Reform UK, is now thought to have become the first council in the country, to revoke its climate declaration. In its place the council has declared a care emergency.
Darren Grimes, Deputy Leader of Durham County Council and a former presenter on GB News was reported as saying: “We are done with expensive virtue signalling tripe and care about our residents,” and was also noted as saying that the ongoing social care crisis is the “most urgent threat to the well-being of our children and the financial stability of our county”
It was also said that the previous council had approved an environment pledge aimed at achieving net zero emissions by 2045 running alongside the current Climate Emergency Response Plan.
Another Reform councillor, Andrew Husband seemed to hint that global warming would be a good thing as: “During the Roman-occupied era not far away from County Durham, around 45AD, there is evidence of Roman vineyards along Hadrian’s Wall. This is because the Roman period in Britain is known for having a relatively warm climate which would have been conducive to growing grapes. Mind, how the climate has changed”
Reform led County Durham Council scraps climate declaration, northeastbylines.co.uk
‘No Such Thing as a Free Lunch’: Opposition Outcry over Reform’s Secretive DOGE Unit
Councillors have raised the alarm over West Northamptonshire’s controversial deal with Reform’s Musk-inspired DOGE team.
Councillors in West Northamptonshire last night slammed Reform UK’s plan to access council data as part of a drive that it claims is intended to reduce local “fraud and waste”.
In a key test of Reform’s battle to access data from councils, West Northamptonshire became the first to welcome unnamed and unpaid “experts” from the party’s ‘DOGE’ unit into the council to find ways to cut its budget.
The council says it will reserve the right to stop DOGE from accessing restricted personal information, and will vet the members of Reform’s unit to ensure they have relevant qualifications. However, opposition councillors protested against the proposal in local cabinet meeting last night.
‘No Such Thing as a Free Lunch’: Opposition Outcry over Reform’s Secretive DOGE Unit, desmog.com
Reform UK council leaders divert so-called ‘Net Stupid Zero’ cash to tackle flooding
One opposition councillor claimed decisions were being based on ‘allusions to the Roman Empire’
Millions of pounds are to be reallocated from council efforts to fight climate change. Leicestershire County Council’s new Reform UK leaders voted this week to divert £2 million from carbon reduction initiatives into efforts to mitigate flooding and other severe weather events.
Reform UK council leaders divert so-called ‘Net Stupid Zero’ cash to tackle flooding, leicestermercury.co.uk
Reform UK expels Devon councillor who ‘crossed the line’
Reform UK has expelled one of its own Devon councillors from the party over a row about a letter being sent without consent.
Devon County councillor Ed Hill, (Pinhoe & Mincinglake), has been kicked out over claims by the party that he distributed a letter on free school meals to MPs and the media purportedly signed by 17 Reform councillors.
Reform UK expels Devon councillor who ‘crossed the line’, Devon Live
Reform UK slam solar energy – then miss the meeting to stop it
Reform UK has received millions of pounds in donations from climate deniers and fossil fuel sources, so it is not a surprise that Nigel Farage wants to make net zero the “next Brexit”.
The party is especially opposed to green energy projects in Lincolnshire, where senior figures have spoken out against solar panel farms — large installations of renewable electricity in the countryside.
Richard Tice, Reform’s deputy chair and the MP for Boston and Skegness, promised that his Lincolnshire colleagues would oppose solar farms “every step of the way”. “Reform control the Mayoralty and County Council in Lincolnshire with myself as local MP,” he wrote on X. “If you are thinking of investing in solar farms, battery storage systems, or trying to build pylons, think again.”
Which makes it all a bit embarrassing that on Monday, two of Reform’s top councillors missed an important date to discuss a new solar panel project.
Reform UK slam solar energy – then miss the meeting to stop it, Hope Not Hate
Suella Braverman’s husband quits Reform after six months
Move comes hours after Zia Yusuf, the party’s efficiency tsar, had criticised former home secretary
Suella Braverman’s husband has quit Reform UK six months after joining.
Rael Braverman issued a short statement on X, saying: “I have left Reform effective immediately.”
It came hours after Zia Yusuf, the Reform efficiency tsar, had criticised Mrs Braverman, the former home secretary, on the same platform.
Suella Braverman’s husband quits Reform after six months, telegraph.co.uk
Why Reform Has Split in Three
Reform UK loosens vetting rules despite repeated candidate scandals
Inviting failed candidates to try again under lax rules suggests that they are either struggling to recruit candidates, or something more sinister.
Reform UK has told its members in Kent it will relax vetting rules, and is ‘strongly’ encouraging prospective candidates who previously failed vetting to reapply.
[…]
The move to water down the party’s vetting process comes despite ongoing candidate scandals. Daniel Taylor, a Reform councillor in Thanet, was recently charged with threatening to kill his wife. Reform withdrew the whip after he was charged.
Reform UK loosens vetting rules despite repeated candidate scandals, leftfootforward.org
Reform UK to introduce less stringent ‘common sense’ vetting system for candidates
Party says those who previously failed vetting are ‘strongly encouraged’ to reapply under new criteria
Reform UK has told its members it is introducing a less stringent “common sense” vetting system for would-be candidates after complaints the previous checks were too strict, despite a recent series of controversies linked to the party.
Reform UK to introduce less stringent ‘common sense’ vetting system for candidates, The Guardian
Reform councillor quits two months after election
A Reform UK councillor has resigned just two months after being elected to Doncaster Council.
Samuel Booth was elected in the Bentley ward alongside Reform’s Rebecca Booth and Labour’s James Church at the May elections.
Reform councillor quits two months after election, BBC
Reform UK-Led Kent Council Removes Trans-Themed Books from Children’s Library Sections
Kent County Council, led by the Reform UK party, has announced the removal of all books featuring transgender themes from the children’s sections of its libraries—a move that has sparked significant backlash and concern.
The council’s leader, Linden Kemkaran, revealed the decision via X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, 2 July. “Another victory for #commonsenseinKent,” she wrote. “My brilliant cabinet member Cllr Paul Webb has just got this trans material REMOVED from the children’s sections of all Kent’s libraries. Telling children they’re in the ‘wrong body’ is wrong and simply unacceptable.”
The announcement did not include details on which specific titles or materials were removed, nor how many books are affected. Kent County Council oversees 99 community libraries and operates five mobile library vans.
Antony Hook, the Liberal Democrat opposition leader in the council, criticised the announcement as both “vague” and “bizarre”, particularly as it was made on social media rather than through formal council channels. Hook has formally written to the head of Kent Library Services seeking clarification on what materials are being removed.
Reform UK-Led Kent Council Removes Trans-Themed Books from Children’s Library Sections, gayexpress.co.nz
Reform UK-led Kent County Council replaces cabinet member Bill Barrett after less than seven weeks
Reform UK’s new administration at Kent County Council has replaced its first cabinet member less than seven weeks into the job.
Cllr Bill Barrett, who represents the Ashford Rural South division, stepped down from his place at the top table where he was in charge of highways and transport.
Reform UK-led Kent County Council replaces cabinet member Bill Barrett after less than seven weeks, kentonline.co.uk
Suspended Reform UK Kent county councillor Daniel Taylor appears in court accused of threats to kill wife
A councillor suspended by Reform UK has appeared in court accused of making threats to kill his wife.
Daniel Taylor, who now stands as an independent on Kent County Council, had the party whip withdrawn last month after being arrested on June 1.
Suspended Reform UK Kent county councillor Daniel Taylor appears in court accused of threats to kill wife, kentonline.co.uk
Reform councillor’s boast about removing ‘trans-ideological’ books from children’s library sections was a lie
Paul Webb said he ensured books and material were pulled from children’s section of Kent libraries, but it emerges they were never there
A boast by a Reform UK councillor that he ensured the removal of “trans-ideological material and books” from the children’s section of his county’s libraries has fallen flat after it emerged that no such material ever existed there.
Reform councillor’s boast about removing ‘trans-ideological’ books from children’s library sections falls flat, theguardian.com
Backlash as Reform claims trans books removed from children’s library section
A council leader has been criticised after claiming the authority had removed transgender-related books from the children’s sections of its libraries.
In a post on social media, Kent County Council’s Reform UK leader Linden Kemkaran said the books were to be removed with immediate effect in a “victory for common sense in Kent”.
However, the council said a single transgender-related book aimed at adults was relocated from a display at the entrance of a library to a section unlikely to be visited by children.
Labour MP for Chatham and Aylesford Tristian Osbourne has called the alleged removal of the books “unedifying gender baiting of the LGBT community”.
Backlash as Reform claims trans books removed from children’s library section, BBC
Reform UK hires ex-Tory MP who was suspended for using racist language
Anne Marie Morris, twice suspended while an MP between 2010 and 2024, will lead Reform’s social care policy
Reform UK has hired a former Conservative MP who was suspended for using the N-word.
Anne Marie Morris, who had the whip withdrawn by Theresa May in 2017 for using the term in a debate about Brexit, will lead Reform’s social care policy. She is one of several ex-Tories who have defected to Nigel Farage’s party.
Morris had used the phrase “[N-word] in the woodpile” in an event at the East India Club, and apologised after the remarks came to light. She had the whip returned to her six months later – one day before a crucial Brexit vote for the then-government.
Reform UK hires ex-Tory MP who was suspended for using racist language, The Guardian
Reform candidate expelled over social media posts
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
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