Reform UK may be celebrating every council seat it wins, but this week has exposed a rather less comfortable reality for Nigel Farage’s party: winning councillors is one thing. Keeping them is another.
Four Reform councillors have walked away in an extraordinarily short period, with departures in Solihull, Wakefield, North East Lincolnshire and Aberdeenshire. And while the reasons differ, the emerging picture is difficult to ignore: internal chaos, bitter disputes, controversy and profound disagreements over what Reform actually stands for.
Jacob Padget’s departure is perhaps the most damaging. The Wakefield councillor was suspended by Reform after Reform UK Exposed highlighted material he had published describing women who have abortions as “mothers who murder their children”.
This was not simply some anonymous internet user making inflammatory comments. Padget was an elected councillor, and the material was published from an account identifying him as such. The episode inevitably raised questions about the standards Reform expects from people representing its voters.
Then there is Solihull.
Eleonora Gough did not abandon Reform’s national leadership. Instead, she quit the local Reform councillors’ group, accusing it of becoming “divisive and unprofessional” and describing the working environment as “toxic and hostile”. She said the situation had significantly affected her wellbeing and insisted that she would continue serving her constituents independently.
That is a remarkable indictment of a political organisation from one of its own elected representatives.
Tanya Brasted’s departure provides another glimpse into the dysfunction behind Reform’s rapidly expanding electoral operation. Brasted said she had been “unfairly targeted” and “stitched up” after a dispute involving colleagues.
There were also arguments over money raised through a Reform Christmas Ball. Brasted insisted that the funds had been properly accounted for, while simultaneously arguing that questions should be asked about other members of the local organisation.
Again, the picture is not one of a disciplined political machine confidently preparing for power. It is one of internal disputes spilling into public view.
And then there is Robbie Withey.
Withey left because he believed Reform was talking about the wrong things. In particular, he criticised the party’s relentless focus on immigration and what he described as excessively strong language.
That criticism cuts directly into one of Reform’s defining political strategies. If even its own councillors are questioning whether immigration has become an unhealthy obsession, perhaps the problem is not simply disgruntled individuals — perhaps the party itself needs to take a hard look at what it has become.
Reform’s defenders may dismiss these departures as isolated incidents. But four councillors leaving in days is difficult to brush aside.
The party has proved it can attract voters and win council seats. What this week suggests is that it has a much bigger problem: what happens after the election.
Political parties cannot govern effectively through perpetual infighting, personal disputes and outrage. They need organisation, discipline, competence and people capable of working together.
Reform has spent years presenting itself as the political force that will shake up Westminster and sweep away the failures of the established parties.
But before Reform claims it is ready to run the country, perhaps it should demonstrate that it can run its own council groups.
Winning power is one challenge.
Keeping your own councillors on board might be the harder one.
