A Reform UK candidate for next month's council elections was twice disciplined by the Conservatives over alleged offensive or racist comments, while another shared conspiracy theories about Covid, it has emerged. The revelations come as the full slate of candidates was confirmed for more than 5,000 council places in England, along with several mayoralties and devolved parliament elections.
Derek Bullock, a Reform candidate for Bolton council, was a Tory candidate in 2023 when images emerged of a Facebook post allegedly using a racial slur and calling for people of Pakistani heritage to be shot, in reference to the 2017 Manchester Arena attack. The Conservatives disowned his candidacy, and he won as an independent. In 2020, he faced internal disciplinary action over an allegedly anti-Islam Facebook share. A Reform spokesperson said Bullock maintains the image is fake and has reported it to police.
Separately, Reform candidate for Sunderland council Glenda Hall has been found to have shared conspiracy theories about Covid on Facebook, including a video questioning whether the pandemic was the “hoax of the century” by a well-known conspiracy theorist. Last year, she recommended a Substack post describing Afghan men as “sexual predators”. Reform has been contacted for comment on Hall.
Labour chair Anna Turley condemned the comments as “utterly deplorable” and accused Nigel Farage of failing to vet candidates properly. “Yet again, his party is insulting voters by standing individuals who are completely unfit for public office,” she said, calling for Farage to sack the candidates.
Reform, led by Nigel Farage, is standing candidates in over 95% of seats, similar to Labour. The party has said its vetting procedures have been beefed up. Meanwhile, the Greens confirmed they are standing in 89% of English local seats – a record high.
