Reform UK councillor resigns 10 days after local elections

politicsMay 19, 202614357

A Reform UK councillor in Gateshead resigned 10 days after the local elections, saying expanded business commitments prevent them from serving. Reform UK confirmed the departure was due to those business commitments, while local politicians and critics say the party should pay for the resulting by-election. The vacancy forces a Gateshead by-election and increases pressure on Reform UK as parties prepare for other June contests, including the Makerfield by-election where candidates are now being named.

Best for Britain

@bestforbritain.org

A Reform UK councillor has resigned 10 days after the local elections because her "business commitments have expanded rapidly". So utterly unserious. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clypzeyjzpdo

24860d ago

Tony24

Her expanding business should be forced to pick up the cost of the by-election.

Sir Basil10

She's left to spend more time with her Hitler memorabilia

Chris Smith9

Something must be done to make these scumbags pay for all the byelections they are causing.

Andy Hardy #JoinEU 🇲🇹 🇪🇺9

Of course the BBC & the rest of our mainstream media are reporting all these Reform resignations. Of course they’re not! 😡

Kevin Thurston8

Surely the election cost can come out of Nigel’s £5m?

Vivienne5

It’s just like Brexit. They want to win. They have no idea what they will do if they do win.

Bee Online 🐝3

More money struggling councils will have to funnel into re-elections and away from critical services...

Chris Smith3

I wonder which scam pyramid scheme she's actually selling?

Ste3

I wonder if the plumber will have business commitments?

Melissa Eco Zealot 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿2

Reform should pick up the by-election costs! Far too much money is being pushed onto council spending due to Reform resignations!

paulusthewoodgnome

@paulusthewoodgnome.bsky.social

Rumours are already swirling around about Robert Kenyon – Reform UK's candidate for Makerfield – but I'm sure everything will be fine.

Screencap of Reform Watch tweet:

'Robert Kenyon is friends with Gary Raikes on Facebook. Raikes, a former BNP and Britain First member, leads the New British Union – the modern successor to Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists. This is who represents Reform in Makerfield.

3760d ago

Bylines Network

@bylinesnetwork.co.uk

By-election triggered in Gateshead as Reform UK councillor steps down A council by-election has been triggered in Gateshead following the resignation of a Reform UK High Fell councillor northeastbylines.co.uk/news/politic...

4260d ago

Ready Player Zero4

What a fucking waste of money

spike56.bsky.social3

How much is that going to cost ratepayers?! Talk about spaffing our money up the wall!

SueN2

Reform should pay the costs of another ballot.

Ruth Watson

@ruthwatson.eurosky.social

One for Farage, Tice, and Offord to contemplate. #ReformUK #GetTae

1460d ago

jonnygf.bsky.social

@jonnygf.bsky.social

Reform UK councillor in Gateshead resigns less than two weeks after being elected - ITV News Tyne Tees apple.news/AJ1c9jZHCQN-...

560d ago

Colbobs.bsky.social "Col" he/him/his

@colbobs.bsky.social

Reform UK has shed 22 councillors and counting in the two weeks since the local council elections on 7 May, triggering a series of costly by-elections. Many for serious reasons, that the main stream needs quizzing as to why they don't cover these stories. leftfootforward.org/2026/05/the-...

460d ago

catcat1999.bsky.social

@catcat1999.bsky.social

Sign the petition demanding Reform UK leader Nigel Farage come clean about the £5m gift he received from a Reform Party mega-donor! act.38degrees.org.uk/act/farage-5...

260d ago

LiberalLuddite

@liberalluddite.bsky.social

And another non-serious “Reform UK” utter clown resigns from a council. Making a mockery of democracy. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

360d ago

Gary 🏳️‍🌈🌍❤️💙💚🏳️‍⚧️🇺🇦

@garysyms777.bsky.social

Days after being voted in as a new Reform UK-led Gateshead council, one of their Reform UK councillors resigns! This is being repeated among Reform UK newly voted in councillors throughout England, 'House of Cards' comes to mind. jonathanwallace.blogspot.com/2026/05/firs...

160d ago

Nic Boothby

@nicboothby.bsky.social

How many councillors has Reform UK lost since the 7th May 2026 elections ? Go on! Have a guess... via @markpackuk.bsky.social www.markpack.org.uk/176783/how-m..

60d ago

David Hughes

@daihuws.bsky.social

Dan Thomas of Reform UK, however: Jesus, what kind of attempted line of attack is that? "You, as a Welsh nationalist, are ultimately seeking independence!" seems to be what he's going for. Like, duh. In other news, it rains a lot in Blaenau Ffestiniog.

160d ago