A Reform councillor has quit the party, branding his decision to join as 'the biggest mistake of my life'. Robbie Lammas, a councillor in Medway, Kent, expressed embarrassment over his defection from the Conservatives to Reform eight months ago.
Councillor's Regret
Cllr Lammas told the BBC: 'I'm going to leave Reform, I've had enough, it's not what I signed up to, and I feel I've been misled.' He added: 'I've realised I have made the biggest mistake of my life.'
His defection in October last year was initially seen as a boost to Reform locally. At that time, he stated that his 'trust in the Conservative Party has gone' and claimed the Tories were 'over'. He also said: 'Not only is Reform a party I feel strongly aligned to as a conservative, but I believe that Nigel Farage provides the trusted leadership needed to save Britain.'
Change of Heart
Now, he claims his defection was 'just used for a news story' by Reform, adding that he was 'embarrassed' by his decision to leave the Conservatives. Cllr Lammas said: 'I was told at the time there would be lots of people coming over. There would be one or two MPs. I would sort of slip in quietly. I did not want to go for a fanfare.'
The Medway representative has also changed his mind about his former Tory colleagues. He explained: 'I left the party I love because I thought the party was over. This was back last year when the Conservatives were not announcing any policy. They had not yet committed to leaving the ECHR. Kemi [Badenoch] has turned it around.'
Cllr Lammas is now sitting as an independent Medway councillor and is hoping to return to the Conservative benches one day. Reform has been contacted for comment.
