Conservative Group Leader’s disappointment after Tory Derbyshire councillor joins Reform UK

Cllr Reed, who has represented the Killamarsh East Ward on the NE Derbyshire District Council since 2023, announced this week that he has left the Conservative Party and joined Reform UK.

The decision follows the Labour group’s success in taking control of the former Conservative-controlled local authority in May, 2023, and after Labour also won the General Election in July, 2024.

Cllr Dale said: “Stephen was elected as a Conservative in 2023 and has been an active councillor and member of our Group ever since, so we are naturally very disappointed to see him leave the Party. However, no one should remain within a Party that they can no longer support and so we do respect his decision.

“It is absolutely clear that, following our worst ever defeat in July last year, it will take some time for the Conservative Party to recover and rebuild trust, but that’s precisely what our leader Kemi Badenoch is working extremely hard to do. I hope that, in time, the Party can regain the trust and support of people like Stephen.”

Reform UK claims there is a ‘trend of defections’ to Reform UK which it believes will continue to grow arguing that it also ‘underscores a need for real change in the political system locally and nationally’.

Cllr Reed said: “I feel the Conservative Party cannot change in the way it needs to in order to deliver for the British people. I want people to see that Reform UK can bring change to NE Derbyshire. I think Nigel Farage is the only leader who can save Britain.”

Bolsover District Councillor, Carol Wood – the former Leader of Bolsover District Council’s Conservative Group – also announced in September that she had joined Reform UK because she claimed the Conservative Party is incapable of leading the centre right of British politics and that it has squandered years of Government funding in high taxes, high state control and high immigration.

Three Ashfield District Councillors have also defected to Reform UK including former Labour member, Cathy Mason, former Conservative member, Dawn Justice, and former Independent member, Cllr Andy Gascoyne, at the Independent-controlled authority.

Following Cllr Reed’s move to Reform UK from NE Derbyshire District Council’s Conservatives, Reform UK Chief Whip and MP for Ashfield, Lee Anderson, said: “More and more local councillors are smelling the Reform-flavoured coffee.

“They are waking up to the fact that Reform UK is the only party that is looking out for their residents and will deliver the kind of change that people want. The turquoise tsunami continues. I welcome Stephen to the People’s Army.”