A Reform UK candidate standing in next month's council elections was twice disciplined by the Conservatives over alleged racist comments, while another candidate shared Covid conspiracy theories, as the full slate of candidates was confirmed.
Derek Bullock, standing for Bolton council, was suspended by the Tories in 2023 after allegedly posting a racist comment about people of Pakistani heritage on Facebook. The post, purportedly sent during the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, used a racial slur and called for people of Pakistani heritage to be shot. Bullock claims the screenshot is fake and has reported it to police. He previously faced internal disciplinary action in 2020 for sharing an anti-Islam article.
Reform UK's candidate for Sunderland council, Glenda Hall, shared a video questioning whether Covid was the 'hoax of the century' by conspiracy theorist Vernon Coleman, who has called the pandemic the 'greatest fraud in human history'. She also recommended a blog post describing Afghan men as 'sexual predators'.
Labour chair Anna Turley condemned the comments as 'utterly deplorable', accusing Nigel Farage of failing to vet candidates properly. Farage has previously said vetting procedures have been strengthened.
More than 5,000 council seats in England, along with mayoralties and devolved parliament elections, are being contested on 7 May. Reform is standing in over 95% of seats, while the Greens have candidates in 89%, their highest ever.
