Full credit to Joshua Nevett of BBC News (Politics) 7 June 2025 for spotting, investigating and reporting on the new, messy world of town halls and council chambers. Reform campaigned mainly on immigration, according to Cornwall’s new Lib Dem council Leigh Frost. A view ‘echoed in conversations with other local leaders across the country’. The BBC were told Reform’s candidates ‘had little local policy to offer. Most were focussed on national issues such as stopping small boats crossing the English Channel, or slashing wasteful spending
Adam Kent, Tory group leader on Worcestershire County Council put his finger on the omission “They haven’t got a local prospectus and that was part of the problem. …They did’nt stand on any local issues. It was on national politics”. On the other hand Leigh Frost says “The reality is our core values at the heart of it just stand for two very different things and make working together incompatible”. But on the facts: is Frost right? Reform’s councillor leader Joanne Monk, the Reform UK new council leader in Worcestershire said before the election that “in the interests of local people we’ll do deals”.?
Actually, bear with me please, Frost may be right afterall as Monk then said after the election, having had ‘a brief couple of chats ‘ with other party leaders that “I’m damned sure we are not in the same wavelength’. Did they discuss little boats, local council budget savings or the unaffordable cost of local homes for local youngsters? I assume all right thinking councillors regardless of the political label they chose want houses to be more affordable; do not want to waste public money and do not see immigration policy as part of their job?
Reform UK’s successes in the local elections will deliver disenfranchment for local residents, if local leaders cannot work together because the new boys are ignorant. On the other hand, what is new here Reform’s new councillors may ask? It seems to me if we accept nonsensical outcomes now, we must accept failure in the future. More stasis is then on the horizon.
Put plainly my concern is more local divisions and more local contempt for opposition groups is futile and for long term planning outcomes potentially catastrophic. Councillors have civic duties. Political posturing is unhelpful. It slows down future prospects for their local residents. Councillors’ role is to deliver national policies with local support. Increased housing supply and promoting economic growth are their priorities. Immigration is not. Housing policy has a history of local failure. Surely solving this failure is the today’s local priority?
The new local elections have voted in lots of new councillors who, if Joshua’s Nevett is correct do not have a serious local mandate. But despite this vital omission they have the endorsement of their electors. Is this democracy or insanity? It makes me wonder if local devolution policies are wise, if our local government system endorses these outcomes. At issue is the future prosperity and livelihood of future generations. To deliver second to none future outcomes needs councils and councillors with strong local loyalities who put their residents best interests today, and tomorrow first and front.
Now the elections are over, it would be good to hear from the new councillors and the veterans if these are their priorities too? Back you Joshua?
Ian Campbell
7 June 2025
