Latest news with #Reform.
BBC News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Worcestershire County Council elections: Big gains for Reform
The Conservatives have lost overall control of Worcestershire County Council after 20 years, with Reform UK the main beneficiary of a night the Tories would rather into Thursday's vote, the Tories held 45 seats on the authority - those have been whittled down to - which already had two seats on the council, thanks to Tory defectors - now have 27, two short of an overall success mirrors the picture across England, where Reform has gained control of several councils. Reform's first win was the first seat to be announced in Worcesteshire, when Kidderminster gym owner Mark Crosby took St Georges in Wyre said he was "absolutely elated" for himself and the party - adding that the main takeaway from his campaigning was that people were ready for went on to win eight of the 10 seats in Wyre Forest, where the Tories only managed to keep hold of two. Bill Hopkins, a former Conservative councillor who defected to Reform 18 months ago, kept hold of St Chads."The Conservatives have let us down; Labour are seemingly letting us down," he said. "People are so fed up. They want change, and we are the only party that can deliver change."Reform picked up wins in each division - including, notably, Redditch, where every single one of the eight previously Conservative seats now belong to Nigel Farage's party. It was a better picture for the Tories in remain the majority party in the division, despite losing seats to Reform, the Lib Dems, and the might have had one more, had it not been for a dead heat between its candidate and the Greens' prospective councillor in outcome came down to drawing both candidates' names out of a box at random, with fortune smiling on the Greens' Hannah Robson."[It was] really terrifying," she said. "I thank the universe for letting my ballot paper come out the box." In Worcester, council leader Simon Geraghty lost his Riverside seat after nearly ten it had been "a difficult day" both for him and the Tories, Geraghty said, adding he had been "incredibly proud" to lead the he said he was unclear as to what the county council would look like under Reform."They will have to have a set of policies - we don't know what they will be - to govern Worcestershire."We had a clear manifesto; we had a six-point plan for Worcestershire. I'm not sure what Reform will they will be faced with the same difficulties that we've faced." Geraghty's seat went to Tor Pingree - one of eight which are now in the hands of the said people were growing "disheartened" with the two main parties."They want actual change in Worcester, and they haven't seen that," she her party as "snowballing", Pingree said she was confident the Greens could make a difference on the council."There's quite a lot of us now, and we have quite loud voices. So I'm hoping we can really make some change and switch things up." Labour started the day with three seats on the council; that has been reduced to Labour MP Tom Collins suggested that was as much a reflection of people's dissatisfaction with the Tories as anything else - although he conceded that they were also likely frustrated with the pace of change since Labour's general election said it was now down to Reform to prove its worth."We've had some very simple answers proposed to very complex problems," he said of the party. "And now it's for them to demonstrate what they can actually do when they're given the opportunity." Analysis: James Pearson, BBC Hereford & Worcester political reporter Reform UK has delivered a seismic shock to the county's political scene, far exceeding their own 27 seats they are now the largest party on the council, although agonisingly for them, two seats short of an outright majority. Together with gains made by the Greens, Reform's success is a sign many voters in Worcestershire want change and are now looking outside Labour and the eyes are on whether Reform can put together an administration, most likely a minority. During the campaign, Reform kept its key priorities relatively simple: an audit of the county council's finances to cut waste and ensure value for money, and a pledge to put any "spare" money into some of its councillors are former Tories, many are making their first entry into local politics. While this freshness may have been part of the party's appeal, it may mean it takes them time to get to grips with running a local authority. Additional reporting by Alistair Binney and Tom Edwards. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Kemi Badenoch denies rift with Robert Jenrick over Reform comments
Kemi Badenoch has rejected claims of a rift with shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick over whether the party should form a pact with Reform Conservative leader has always ruled out such a deal, arguing that Nigel Farage's party is seeking to destroy the a leaked recording obtained by Sky News, Jenrick said he wanted the "fight" against Labour at the next general election to be "united" and he was "determined" to "bring this coalition together".The story was seized on by Labour and the Lib Dems, who urged Badenoch to sack her former leadership rival from the Tory frontbench for contradicting her - but Badenoch's spokesman insisted there were no differences between them. "Kemi Badenoch has made perfectly clear there will be absolutely no electoral pact with Reform."If you actually read the shadow justice secretary's words, he is saying he is working to defeat Reform. The coalition he's talking about is of centre-right voters and bringing them together," the spokesman told reporters. Asked if Badenoch considered Jenrick a "team player", the spokesman said: "Yes, the shadow cabinet is a well-functioning team."He said Badenoch had not been aware of Jenrick's comments ahead of them being obtained by Sky, but it was "demonstrably true" that the right is not "united" and that the Tories needed to get millions of voters back from Reform he hit back at claims Badenoch, who beat Jenrick to the Tory crown in a vote of members last November, should "rein him in" for writing articles and speeches that went beyond his shadow ministerial brief."It is fine for shadow cabinet members and MPs to talk about things that are in the advancement of the Conservative Party," he told spokesman's comments came after a fiery Prime Minister's Questions, at which Badenoch attacked Sir Keir Starmer for lacking the "balls" to say what he really thought about the transgender issue. The PM hit back, saying no Tory MPs thought she would be the Conservative leader at the next general added that Jenrick - who was absent from the chamber - was "away plotting," and that he would be left "fighting over the bones of the Tory party" with Nigel Farage, who he said would "eat the Tory party for breakfast".In the recording at the centre of the controversy, which was made in March this years at a local Tory event, Jenrick can be heard talking about how Reform UK could make life difficult for his party."You head towards a general election, where the nightmare scenario is that Keir Starmer sails in through the middle as a result of the two parties being disunited."I don't know about you, but I'm not prepared for that to happen."He added: "I want the fight to be united. And so, one way or another, I'm determined to do that and bring this coalition together and make sure we unite as a nation as well."A source close to Jenrick told PA Media on Wednesday that he had no differences with his party leader on ruling out a pact with Reform."Rob's comments are about voters and not parties."He's clear we have to put Reform out of business and make the Conservatives the natural home for all those on the right, rebuilding the coalition of voters we had in 2019 and can have again."But he's under no illusions how difficult that is - we have to prove over time we've changed and can be trusted again." Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Nigel Farage clashes with teaching union over 'far right' claim
A row has erupted between Nigel Farage and Britain's biggest teaching union after it branded Reform UK a "racist and far-right" Education Union (NEU) members at their annual conference called for funds to be used to help campaign against Reform UK NEU's general secretary, Daniel Kebede, claimed there were "an awful lot of racists who are getting involved in Reform".Farage reacted angrily to Mr Kebede's claims, accusing him of encouraging "indoctrination of teenagers in our schools" and vowing that his party would "go to war" with the teaching unions if it won the next general election. The Reform UK leader campaigns for tougher action against illegal immigration and a "one in one out" policy for legal migrants to ease pressure on housing and the NHS. He has always insisted he is not a racist and has rejected calls from some Reform UK members to side with far-right activist Tommy party has also stepped up vetting of candidates ahead of May's local elections in England after a series of racism scandals during last year's general election campaign. A motion passed at the NEU's conference in Harrogate described Reform UK as a "racist and far-right party because of its policies around immigration and its campaigns against migrants".It accused the party of "scapegoating refugees, asylum seekers, Muslims, Jews and others who do not fit their beliefs".Members agreed that the union should "use the union's political fund to support campaigning against election candidates from Reform UK (whose anti-immigration policies and campaigns are racist in nature) or other racist organisations".Speaking with journalists afterwards, Mr Kebede said Farage was a "pound shop Donald Trump" who had "made a career out of dog whistle politics", but did not label him or his party "racist".Asked whether he therefore disagreed with the motion, he said: "I think there [are] an awful lot of racists who are getting involved in Reform."Pressed on whether that included Farage, he said: "I think Nigel Farage is a right-wing populist."Responding to the comments at a press conference in County Durham, Farage said Mr Kebede was a "self-declared Marxist" who was encouraging "indoctrination of teenagers in our schools".He said the union leader was "somebody who is absolutely determined that our children should be poisoned at school, their minds should be poisoned about everything to do with this country, it's history, what it stood for".He added: "I'll make one thing very, very clear: if we win the 2029 general election, we will go to war with the National Education Union and all left wing teachers' unions."People should be taught objectively, fairly and should be taught critical thinking where kids can make their own minds up what they believe and not be indoctrinated."Reform MP Lee Anderson said the NEU had "shown its true colours", adding: "Rather than focusing on educating Britain's youth, it seems more interested in political indoctrination, silencing free speech, and spreading divisive rhetoric."
