Headline: Reform UK Councillor Resigns After Racism Allegations
- May 12
- 1 min read
Why this matters: The resignation raises questions about candidate vetting procedures within Reform UK following recent local election gains.
Date: 11 May 2026
Tags: Politics, UK, Reform UK, Local Government
Summary:
Reform UK councillor Stuart Prior resigned and was expelled from the party.
Prior had been elected to Essex County Council and Rochford District Council last week.
Campaign group Hope Not Hate accused Prior of posting racist and Islamophobic comments online.
Alleged posts included references to white people as “the master race”.
Other alleged posts described Muslims using offensive language and denied genocide claims against them.
Prior denied being racist when approached by a newspaper.
Essex County Council and Rochford District Council confirmed his resignation.
Both councils said by-election arrangements would be communicated to residents.
Reform UK said during the election campaign it was investigating the allegations.
Nigel Farage previously said the party had carried out thorough candidate vetting.
What’s next: By-elections will be organised for the vacant council seats in Essex and Rochford.
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