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ITV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ITV News
Devon councillor expelled from Reform UK claims he was 'ostracised' by local party
A Devon councillor who has been expelled by Reform UK claims he was "systemically ostracised" by the Party after reporting two fellow Reform councillors to the police over election expenses. Cllr Ed Hill, who represents Pinhoe and Mincinglake, has had his membership revoked after writing to MPs about free school meals and allegedly signing it from all Devon Reform councillors without their consent. In a statement, Reform UK said Mr Hill's actions "damaged the interests of the party". The letter in question was calling for national auto-enrolment of free meals, which Mr Hill argues would "transform the lives of thousands of children across Devon and the UK". Cllr Michael Fife Cook, Leader of the Reform Group on Devon Council, said: "Irrespective of something being a good cause, attaching councillors' names to a letter without their consent is totally unacceptable behaviour. "That Cllr Hill not only did this, but then made the letter public - including sending it to the media and MPs - meant disciplinary action was inevitable." In May's local elections, Reform UK won 18 seats on Devon County Council and became the second biggest party on the authority behind the Liberal Democrats. The first signs of division within the group came when Mr Hill reported two of his council colleagues - and an election agent - to the police over election expenses. Since then, he claims he has been "systemically ostracised from internal party communication", including being removed from WhatsApp groups, meetings and communication with colleagues. In a WhatsApp exchange seen by ITV West Country, Mr Hill attempted to ask his fellow Reform councillors if they'd be happy to sign the letter about free school meals, which was addressed to all of Devon's MPs and published on social media. One councillor said: "They will sign the letter, they just won't join this group.' "In the absence of any objections or direct communication to the contrary, I reasonably and in good faith interpreted this as consent," Mr Hill said in a statement. "Let's be clear: this incident is being used as a pretext," he added. "Since reporting a fellow Reform UK councillor to the police for suspected electoral offences, I have been systematically ostracised from internal party communication — removed from WhatsApp groups, excluded from meetings, and shut out from coordination with my own colleagues. If Reform UK had maintained proper internal channels, this situation would never have occurred. "The letter I sent was about feeding hungry children and unlocking millions in school funding through Free School Meal auto-enrolment. I stand by every word of it. "This is not just a personal matter. It raises wider questions about how Reform UK treats whistleblowers, how it manages internal discipline, and whether it can honestly claim to support transparency and accountability." Mr Hill will continue to represent Pinhoe and Mincinglake as an independent councillor and has appealed the decision to expel him from Reform UK. Regarding the police report in relation to election expenses, Reform UK says: "We understand an application for relief is being submitted in respect of the election expense return of Cllr Neil Stevens and, on the basis of the information we have received, we are confident this will be successful."
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Reform UK selects 18-year-old to run £2bn Warwickshire County Council
Reform UK has selected an 18-year-old to lead Warwickshire County Council on a permanent Finch was installed as full-time leader of the Reform group in the county after a members' vote on Friday and said afterwards he would deliver "meaningful change".The election was needed after his predecessor, Rob Howard, quit the role in June, just 41 days into the job - citing health does not hold an outright majority on the council but is the largest party meaning Finch and Reform need the support of colleagues in other parties on 22 July, when a full council vote will be held, to officially appoint him as council leader. So far since the May elections, the local Conservative group has helped Reform to push through political Finch was elected, it is believed he would be the youngest council leader in Britain and oversee a budget of half-a-billion pounds, along with council assets worth £1.5bn. Following his election, Finch said: "I'm determined to give every Warwickshire resident proper representation at council level."In May's local elections, my colleagues and I stood on a promise of delivering meaningful change and that's what we will do."Finch, the councillor for Bedworth Central, was a member of the Conservative Party for three months before switching to Reform on the grounds, he said, that it would "better tackle illegal immigration". His short time as interim leader saw a row over a Progress Pride Flag flying outside the council's Shire Hall headquarters make national opposition politicians were critical of Finch's interim appointment, ahead of Friday's vote. The Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, Preet Gill, said the people of Warwickshire "frankly deserve better"."This is not work experience," she said. "This is not about learning on the job."Mike Wood, the Conservative MP for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire, was previously a local in June he said: "It really would take a quite remarkable 18-year-old to go straight from sixth form to running a large local authority with a half-a-billion pound budget with no previous experience."In response, Finch urged people to judge him on his actions rather than his age. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
