Reform UK Tells Prospective Candidates Who Failed Vetting to Reapply Under New ‘Common Sense’ Rules – Byline Times

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Prospective Reform UK candidates in one of the party’s new electoral strongholds, who were previously blocked by the party’s internal vetting processes, have been told to re-apply under what are described as a new set of “common sense” standards.

A post on July 4 by Reform UK’s official East Thanet Facebook page stated the party has adopted a new set of vetting standards as of July 7, which are “more proportionate than before”. They claim to give more weight to “individual freedom of expression” – despite following a slew of scandals involving Reform candidates posting racist content online. 

In a call for candidates following the apparent overhaul of their vetting standards, the East Thanet Reform post states: “We’re treating this as a blank slate. If you have previously failed vetting, you are strongly encouraged to reapply under the new standards…Priority will be given to re-vetting” – i.e. giving people previously rejected as unfit for office a second bite of the cherry. 

The post adds: “An election can be called with little notice. By-elections are frequent events as councillors retire or stand down. It is important that all branches have prospective candidates lined up ready to go. With plans to contest every seat at every level we need credible candidates to step forward. If you feel you have the necessary skills, now is the time to apply.”

The apparent loosening in standards came on the same day that a councillor suspended by Reform UK appeared in court accused of making threats to kill his wife. 

Daniel Taylor, who now stands as an independent on Kent County Council, had the party whip withdrawn last month after being arrested on June 1, Kent Online reported. The 37-year-old appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court last Friday (4th July) charged with three offences, all of which he denied, according to the outlet. 

A senior Kent Labour source told Byline Times: “In the same week a suspended Reform councillor appeared in court accused of threatening to kill his girlfriend, it’s deeply troubling that Reform has announced it is watering down its vetting processes and is even encouraging previously rejected applicants to reapply. 

“Communities need to have confidence that political parties are putting forward candidates who are fit and proper to stand for public office. After repeated vetting failures, Reform should be tightening its standards—not lowering the bar even further.”

It comes after Reform MP James McMurdock resigned the party whip over the weekend, after the Sunday Times reported he took out £70,000 in Government loans in 2020, including “£50,000 for one business, JAM Financial Ltd, which had no employees and negligible assets until the Covid pandemic.” Byline Times has previously reported on allegations that McMurdock lied about his working history. 

Other examples of Reform UK representatives facing suspension in recent weeks for their behaviour or comments include – as covered by the the campaign group Hope Not Hate: 

• “RAF employee & Reform UK candidate Luke Shingler (Galley Common, Warwickshire CC), who announced just prior to the election that he would have to sit as an Independent instead because military rules prohibit him from joining any political organisations” – something vetting should have flagged up
• “Nottinghamshire’s Desmond Clarke (Newark West division, Notts CC) who discovered that he didn’t want to be a councillor after all, having apparently realised that he was ‘not in a position to represent the people of Newark West in the way they deserve, while at the same time continuing his career in social care, about which he is very passionate.’
• “Andrew Kilburn (Benfieldside Division, Durham CC) [who] had to quit the council altogether due to his employment with said council, which is prohibited.” Again, basic vetting would have unearthed this fact.
• “Wayne Titley (Eccleshall & Gnosall division, Staffs CC) was expelled after the Reform Party Exposed account unearthed Facebook posts calling for a “volley of gun fire” to sink small boats in the Channel.
• “Two weeks later Mark Broadhurst (Hatfield ward, Doncaster City Council) was expelled from the Reform UK group following HOPE not hate’s pre-election expose of his social media activity, which included a meme suggesting that Hitler would have been “a legend” if he’d chosen to exterminate Muslims instead of Jews.”

At the end of June, Reform UK councillor Amanda ‘Mandy’ Clare was charged with assault and criminal damage after an incident at a Pride event. A new Reform UK councillor in Leicestershire was revealed – after his election – to have been sacked as a police officer, while a Reform candidate in Somerset was also previously sacked from the police force. Though again, that only emerged after it was too late to drop out. 

Last week, Byline Times revealed that Reform UK’s Darren Grimes faces allegations of misleading voters after he claimed police had advised him not to hold local surgeries with his constituents – only for the police to tell this outlet it was untrue. 

With thanks to readers and council staff for story tips. Keep them coming. Do you live in a Reform-run council area? Get in touch in confidence on josiah@bylinetimes.com 

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Josiah Mortimer also writes the On the Ground column, exclusive to the print edition of Byline Times.

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