Reform UK need to get their act together - Nigel Farage's party walking into traps

A handful of Reform UK's local councillors have been making headlines recently for all the wrong reasons, and it is not a good look. They must get their act together if the party is going to deliver the political earthquake at the next general election of which it is easily capable. It has been six months since the May local elections that saw Nigel Farage's party gain 677 council seats - a remarkable achievement for a young political outfit. Reform has taken control of councils in Derbyshire, Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, North Northamptonshire, West Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Doncaster and Durham. They've also made serious inroads elsewhere in England and are currently leading the administrations in Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Leicestershire.

Aside from significant success with a host of new councillors, May saw Reform's Dame Andrea Jenkyns become Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire and ex-boxer Luke Campbell become the Reform UK Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire. Campbell is showing great promise with a recent round of regional media interviews where he happily answered questions from callers to the local radio stations he guested on. He connected well with local people.

But it was never going to be an easy journey from what was effectively a start-up party to becoming a major player in local government and Reform are naturally experiencing bumps in the road.

There have been several councillor resignations as I expect the realities and responsibilities of becoming a councillor hits home for some successful candidates.

Local government is not the sexiest form of politics and can seem thankless as much of it is the mundane business of keeping local areas ticking over when it comes to transport, education, planning, libraries, social care and waste management.

Despite not being the most exciting of portfolios, they are imperative in improving the lives of residents and showing value for money for local taxpayers through the smooth running of local services.

Local councillors might not enjoy the kudos of walking the corridors of power in Westminster, but they have an important part to play, and it has never been more vital for Reform to get this right.

Which is why the recent conduct of four Reform councillors at Kent County Council will have those wanting the party to succeed banging their heads against a brick wall. I suspect the situation is also giving Nigel Farage a headache too.

Kent County Council is the biggest local authority in England and is cited as Reform's flagship council. When the party took control of the council in May, it overturned thirty years of Conservative control.

Now, four Reform councillors have been suspended following the leaking of a video of a shouty and sweary online council meeting where council leader Linden Kemkaran clashed with her councillors regarding recent decisions.

Paul Thomas, Oliver Bradshaw, Bill Barret and Maxine Fothergill all deny any wrongdoing, but a Reform spokesperson said they had been suspended pending an investigation into the leaking as there was "evidence" that they had "brought the party into disrepute".

If you watch the footage, it is hard not to roll your eyes at the childish behaviour on display, particularly at the naivety of such conduct in an online environment which would be recorded and is naturally ripe for leaking by those with a wish to damage the party.

The incident should serve as a lesson to Reform councillors across the country - the tiniest slip-up will be seized upon by rivals and critics to show your party is not fit for purpose.

Be in no doubt, the achievements made so far by Reform since the general election of 2024 have been extraordinary, with MPs being returned to Parliament under a First Past The Post electoral system that traditionally prevents smaller parties from achieving a parliamentary breakthrough.

The party continues to ride high in the polls, and aside from Nigel Farage, party stalwarts Richard Tice, Sarah Pochin, Lee Anderson, David Bull and Zia Yusuf continue to punch well above their weight in the media spotlight.

Millions in the UK want Reform to change the political landscape for good. The next opportunity is 2026 with the English, Welsh and Scottish elections.

Reform is rightly being held to account for how they make their time in local government work in terms of professionalism, delivering services and saving cash. The party cannot take the risk of having any future success scuppered by wayward or incapable local councillors.

Those in such positions need to step up or step down if they really want Reform UK to become both a national and local political force for good.