October has become a chaotic month for Reform UK in Northumberland, as no fewer than three of their councillors have been expelled from the party. This comes as greater scrutiny is being exerted on the party’s performance in local government, after their string of successes at the local elections last May and the rise of Reform UK to the top of numerous UK opinion polls.

Nicole Brooke

Firstly, it was reported om 10 October, that Nicole Brooke, councillor for Berwick North, had been expelled from Reform and had wanted to ‘set out her side of the story’ and consequently venomously criticised the right-wing party.

Brooke was suspended by Reform on 29 September, having allegedly broken council group rules “in a manner that could be detrimental to the party’s interests”.  It soon turned out that this related to a leadership challenge from Brooke.

Councillor Brooke was reported as saying that the Reform group’s performance on Northumberland County Council had been “disappointing” and that residents “deserved better”, in a statement she made after the suspension.

Furthermore, Brooke was reported as saying: “I was recently suspended from the party, pending an internal investigation into my conduct. Until now, I’ve remained silent – not because I had nothing to say, but because I was respecting the ongoing process and the limitations placed on me during that time.

“I have now been informed that the investigation has concluded and a Reform UK Disciplinary Panel has decided to withdraw the whip and remove me from the party. I want to take this opportunity to set out my side of the story.

“Since May, Reform UK’s performance at the council has been disappointing. From motions that attracted widespread ridicule to misguided attacks on respected organisations like the RNLI, and statements in the chamber that veered into conspiratorial territory – our group has not lived up to voters’ expectations.

“This is not what the people of Northumberland voted for, and they deserve better.

“Reform UK is the only group in the county currently moving backwards – and the responsibility for that falls squarely at the feet of the local group leadership.”

Patrick Lambert

Following these revelations, it was reported six days later that a second Reform UK councillor in Northumberland had been expelled from the party.  Patrick Lambert, a councillor for Norham and Islandshires, was expelled for the same reason as Nicole Brooke; breaching Reform group rules by being involved in a leadership challenge. Lambert was particularly punished for  ‘a misuse of signatories’ in a letter to central office voicing concerns at the performance of Reform on Northumberland Council.

Lambert responded to this, by writing that “the reasons provided for my expulsion relate to matters which I was not informed of in my suspension letter, and therefore I was not given an opportunity to respond. For the avoidance of doubt, it is not correct that I had any involvement in adding names without permission of the signatories.

“It is my honestly held belief and understanding that every signatory confirmed their agreement to be added.”

John Allen

Then on 21 October came the newsthat a third reform councillor in Northumberland had been expelled from the party.

It was noted that Reform UK had confirmed that one of their councillors in Northumberland had been expelled from the party over what were described as “unacceptable” comments he had made online. So John Allen a councillor for Hirst in Ashington, became the third Reform councillor to be expelled from the party in recent weeks.

It was noted that, “while Northumberland County Council’s website has only recently been updated, Reform UK said that Coun Allen had been expelled a few weeks ago. It follows an investigation into allegations the councillor posted comments online about wanting to kill Prime Minister Keir Starmer”.

Anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate prompted the investigation, after they had uncovered YouTube comments about killing the prime minister, which were allegedly made by Coun Allen.

Comments made by the account @johnallen7807 were said to include “I’d shoot Starmer myself if I had the weapon and opportunity” and “I cant wait to see Srarmer (sic) swinging from a lamp post”.

Reform UK is being found out

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, if losing one councillor in a month could be said to be unfortunate, but losing two is careless, what can you say about a group that has lost three in a matter of weeks?  And very interesting reasons for their expulsion from the party they have been as well.

Thea first two seem to have been expelled mostly for launching a leadership challenge, something that often happens in democratic parties, but does not usually end in expulsion of those involved.  What does this tell you about Reform’s authoritarian tendencies?

The case of John Allen is of course somewhat different. He has been expelled for wholly inappropriate behaviour for an elected councillor. 

And then there were the comments from Brooke about what had been her own party; ridiculous motions and attacks on respected organisation such as the RNLI (aping their leader Farage’s misguided attacks in 2021.  What does this tell you about how serious Reform UK is as a party and how seriously the electorate should take them?

All in all, it seems as if chaos has engulfed reform in Northumberland, at a time when they lead the national polls, do these kinds of stories suggest that they are a fit party to run the country?

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