Nigel Farage has officially launched Reform UK’s local election campaign, promising “a total culture shift in local government” and “a breath of fresh air in English councils up and down the UK”. The party leader kicked off the campaign at an event in Sunderland on Thursday, ahead of the May 7 polls.
Farage highlighted achievements in councils already under Reform control, claiming voters are “already seeing a difference on the ground”. He said Reform had identified £700 million in savings across its 12 councils “without touching frontline services”, up from £331 million reported in November last year.
Reform continues to lead in national polls and is expected to add to the 677 councillors it won in last year’s local elections. However, its savings claims have been disputed by opposition councillors, with Labour pointing to care home and adult education service closures in Reform-run Derbyshire.
Labour also criticised Reform for increasing council tax despite pre-election promises to cut it. Reform now says council tax rises in its majority-controlled authorities have averaged less than those in Labour, Conservative or Lib Dem-run areas, describing below-inflation increases as a “real-terms tax cut”. This excludes Worcestershire, where Reform runs a minority administration and raised council tax by 9 per cent this year.
Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley said: “Reform’s promises fall apart the moment they take power. They said they would cut taxes and waste, but in council after council they’re hiking council tax and slashing services.”
