County Councillor Tom Pickup was suspended after messages were posted by the X account Reform Party UK Exposed, allegedly claiming the party was hiding an even tougher immigration stance
A Reform UK councillor has been suspended after being accused of claiming that the party were hiding just how “hardline” they were on immigration.
According to LancsLive, County Councillor Tom Pickup of Lancashire County Council was suspended after messages said to be from him were posted by the X account Reform Party UK Exposed, in which he appeared to agree with mass deportations.
In the WhatsApp messages, County Cllr Pickup – identified only as “Tom” in the screenshots, appears to respond to another, unidentified member of the chat who writes that a “ majority of Brits want mass deportations and re migration [sic]”.
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“Tom” responds by saying: “I agree, I think a clear and detailed policy on immigration will be rolled out quite soon, but until now as the party have been growing it’s been good to use tact to get us there, previous hardline parties have all failed by not doing this approach”.
In a separate message, he says: “I’m a Reform councillor, everyone in Reform is a lot more hardline on immigration than is typically stated publicly, to get a majority government we have to be tactical.”
Responding, a spokesperson for the Labour Party in the county claimed the comments were “nothing short of despicable”.
They said: “This, after the disturbing allegations about Nigel Farage in the Guardian this week [of alleged racism during his school days, which Reform said was an attempt to ‘smear’ the party and ‘mislead’ the public] is a terrifying insight into Reform UK’s choice of representatives.
“It is imperative that Reform UK now explain the party’s obvious failure to carry out due diligence and to apologise to the people of Lancashire for allowing such figures to not only represent them, but to play a vital role in their finances and resources.”
Reform UK have caused chaos in councils, winning a majority on Kent County Council in May but then suspending nine councillors.
It comes just days after Nigel Farage was urged to explain himself after being accused of making racist and antisemitic remarks by a number of former classmates.
The Reform UK leader is facing fresh allegations, that he denies, over his time at Dulwich college in south London, with his peers claiming he made pro-Hitler comments, joked about gas chambers, and put someone in detention for the colour of their skin.
Speaking to The Mirror, Councillor Pickup said: “I welcome the suspension and investigation and look forward to the truth coming out.”
Reform UK has been approached for comment.
