At least 30 Reform UK candidates have publicly cast doubt on human-induced global heating, a Guardian analysis of social media posts has revealed. The posts, shared over the past two years, often describe warnings of anthropogenic warming as a “hoax” or “scam” and link the “climate change narrative” to conspiracy theories involving the World Economic Forum, “globalist elites” or “the Illuminati”.
Among those sharing such material are three candidates projected to win their seats in a recent YouGov poll. Stephen Conlay, tipped to beat Conservative chair Richard Holden in Basildon & Billericay, had his campaign account repost messages denying that human CO2 emissions affect the climate and claiming global heating would be beneficial. Sean Matthews, leading in Louth & Horncastle, said on X that “manmade CO2” had “nothing” to do with the climate crisis. Rupert Lowe, former MEP and projected winner in Great Yarmouth, stated: “The cult of climate change marches on with no definitive evidence to support or deny the factual accuracy of their assertion.”
Other candidates have gone further. Leslie Lilley, standing in Southend East and Rochford, posted a chart suggesting Unesco and environmental groups were controlled by “the Illuminati”. Andrea Whitehead, in Leeds West and Pudsey, wrote on Facebook that it was “a lie that man is causing climate change”. Ken Ferguson, in Wirral West, called the climate crisis “mythological”. Dave Holland, in Mid Bedfordshire, said it was “stupid” to suggest CO2 could change the climate, adding: “It is not within the gift of mankind to influence it.”
Reform’s only MP, Lee Anderson, claimed coal was a “sustainable” energy source and called decarbonisation advocates “odd weirdos”. The party’s election “contract” pledges to scrap net-zero commitments. Party chair Richard Tice described the idea that UK decarbonisation would reduce global heating as “ludicrous”.
