In a win for Nigel Farage, three independent district councillors in Nottinghamshire have defected to Reform UK.
Mick Barton, Barry Answer, and Martin Wright, members of Mansfield District Council since May 2023, are to make up the new Reform UK group in the local authority.
This comes after Mr Farage urged Conservative councillors to leave the Tories and join his party.
Lee Anderson, the MP for Ashfield, who defected to Reform UK in March of this year after losing the Tory whip, gave the move a thumbs up with MP for Boston and Skegness Richard Tice.
Barton, formerly the leader of the Mansfield Independents group, said: “After several meetings and much discussion, we are looking forward to working with members and local residents as we aim to make a difference both nationally and locally.
“The political landscape has changed so we have to change with it in order to serve our constituents to the fullest.
“We have had great support from local residents we’ve spoken with and were encouraged to make this move and can only visualise the support growing in the future.
“I, myself, have been a local councillor for 21 years and bring a lot of experience from the roles I’ve undertaken within the local council and know what’s needed.”
Anderson said he was “delighted” the councillors had opted “to get on board with the people’s army”.
He added: “Councillors from all over the country are joining us because they know that Reform UK is the only party that is taking the fight to Labour and Keir Starmer.
“This is just a peek into what’s to come as droves of Reform UK councillors are elected by the British people in May 2025.
“Let this be a warning to both the Labour and Conservative Party – we are coming for you.”
