Reform UK Candidate Faces Scrutiny Over Past Disciplinary Actions
A Reform UK candidate standing in next month's council elections was twice disciplined by the Conservative Party over alleged offensive or racist comments, it has emerged. Derek Bullock, who is contesting a seat on Bolton council, was suspended by the Tories in 2023 after allegations he posted a racist comment about people of Pakistani heritage on Facebook.
Bullock has consistently denied the allegations, claiming that screenshots showing the comment were faked. The incident reportedly occurred during the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack, with Bullock allegedly using a racial slur to call for people of Pakistani heritage to be shot. The Conservatives disowned his candidacy at the time, and Bullock subsequently won his council seat as an independent.
Previous Disciplinary History Revealed
This was not the first time Bullock faced disciplinary action from the Conservative Party. In 2020, he underwent internal disciplinary proceedings after allegedly sharing an anti-Islam article on Facebook. Despite this history, Reform UK has selected Bullock as one of their candidates for the upcoming local elections on 7 May.
A Reform spokesperson defended Bullock, stating: "Mr Bullock has always strongly maintained that this image is fake and has reported this resurfaced material to the police. Mr Bullock is a valued member of his community and is currently a trustee of the Asian Elders' Resource Centre in Bolton."
Second Candidate Shares Controversial Content
Separately, another Reform UK candidate has come under scrutiny for sharing controversial content on social media. Glenda Hall, who is standing for Sunderland council, has posted a video promoting Covid conspiracy theories on her Facebook page. The video, which she described as "interesting," questioned whether Covid was the "hoax of the century" and was created by renowned conspiracy theorist Vernon Coleman.
Coleman has described the pandemic as the "greatest fraud in human history," claiming it was an exaggerated scare created by powerful groups including "the Rothschilds, the Rockefellers, the Bilderbergers and the Jesuits." Hall also appeared to recommend a blogpost that described Afghan men as "sexual predators" and suggested stories about western troops killing Afghan men might have been "wishful thinking motivated by revulsion at the sexual behaviour of Afghan men."
Reform's Vetting Procedures Questioned
The revelations come as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has repeatedly boasted about strengthening the party's vetting procedures. Labour party chair Anna Turley called the comments "utterly deplorable" and criticized Reform's candidate selection process.
"Nigel Farage has repeatedly boasted about Reform's vetting procedures," Turley said. "Yet again, his party is insulting voters by standing individuals who are completely unfit for public office. Farage needs to urgently condemn these vile remarks and sack them as Reform candidates."
Local Elections Context
More than 5,000 council places in England are being contested on 7 May, along with several mayoral elections and votes for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments. This represents a significant test for all major political parties as they gauge public sentiment ahead of the next general election.
Reform UK says it is standing candidates in just over 95% of seats, approximately the same number as Labour. Councils began publishing lists of confirmed candidates on Friday after nominations closed at 4pm on Thursday.
Green Party Gains Momentum
While Reform is forecast to make gains on several councils, as well as in Scotland and Wales, the Green Party is also experiencing increased support. The Greens announced they have candidates standing in 89% of English local council seats being contested, far higher than their previous record of 72% set last year.
Earlier in the week, the Greens took a seat from Reform on Kent council, often described as Reform's "flagship" administration. The byelection was prompted by the sitting Reform councillor being jailed for controlling or coercive behaviour towards his wife.
Labour and the Conservatives are both expected to experience heavy losses in the upcoming elections, while smaller parties like Reform and the Greens hope to capitalize on voter dissatisfaction with the traditional two-party system.
