Reform UK has lost another councillor in Northumberland as shadow cabinet member Trevor Austin quit the party to sit as an Independent. The Bedlington East councillor said his workload and the strain of supporting people whose views did not align with his own had taken a toll on his personal life and physical health.
In a statement published on social media, Coun Austin said he remained "broadly aligned" with Reform UK's principles and values nationally but disagreed with "some aspects" of its national policies. He confirmed he will continue to serve until the end of his term in office. Reform UK Northumberland has thanked him for his service to the party.
Reasons for leaving
Coun Austin said: "The workload associated with being a Reform UK member, county and town councillor, shadow cabinet member and serving on various committees has become more than I can reasonably manage. Alongside these responsibilities, there has been the additional strain of internal local party politics and the personal difficulty of finding myself supporting people whose views, methods and approach do not always align with my own."
"The cumulative effect has taken its toll. My family, social and personal life have suffered as has my physical health."
"Quite simply, there are not enough hours in the day to do everything properly, and I cannot continue working in this way. I have a responsibility not only to myself and my family, but also to the residents who elected me."
Commitment to Bedlington
He added: "I want to be absolutely clear, however, that I have not walked away from the commitment I made to the people of Bedlington. I was elected to represent you as both a county and town councillor, and that is a responsibility I intend to honour."
"I will continue in both roles until the end of my term of office and will ensure a proper handover to whoever is elected to succeed me, just as Rebecca Wilczek so graciously did when I took over. In terms of my political outlook, I remain broadly aligned with Reform UK's principles and values, although there are aspects of its national policies with which I disagree, and occasions when I have had to put my personal reservations to one side."
Party response and wider context
Responding to Coun Austin's decision, a Reform UK Northumberland spokesman said: "County councillor Trevor Austin resigned as a member of Reform UK on Wednesday, November 11. We thank Trevor for his service to the party and for the work he has done on behalf of residents in his ward. He has been a committed colleague, and his contribution is appreciated by everyone he has worked alongside locally."
Coun Austin won the Bedlington East seat at the 2025 local election, ousting incumbent Rebecca Wilczek by more than 230 votes as Reform became the county's second-largest party. Reform won 23 seats on the night to become the official opposition, but that figure has since fallen to 17.
Coun Shaun Knowles quit the council due to health issues, with the Conservatives winning the subsequent Cramlington South West by-election. Ashington Hirst councillor John Allen was suspended by the party over allegedly making controversial online posts and later lost his seat for failing to attend any council meetings for six months. Labour won the subsequent by-election, along with a victory in Amble following the death of Reform councillor Arty Hume. Councillors Nicole Brooke and Patrick Lambert were expelled from the party over an attempted leadership challenge and now sit in the Independent Group.
The party spokesman added: "Our focus as a party remains unchanged: standing up for Northumberland's communities and holding the council to account on the things residents care about most."
