'Sheffield deserves better' MP claims as she accuses Reform of 'unravelling' following loss of councillors
“Reform UK are not fit to hold office”
A Sheffield MP has accused Reform UK of “unravelling” after the party lost two councillors just weeks after the local elections.
Reform made major strides in May’s elections, earning 12 new seats on Sheffield City Council.
However, within the space of two weeks, the party has lost two of those councillors - as Nathaniel Menday was suspended for inappropriate social media posts and Mick Lee resigned from the party over internal conflicts.
They are both still serving as independent councillors.
In response to the news, MP for Sheffield Heeley Louise Haigh has said the party is “not fit to hold office”.
The Labour MP wrote on Facebook: “Just weeks on from the local elections, Reform UK have already lost two councillors in Sheffield.
“One is currently suspended from the party after sharing vile Nazi-related content on social media and refusing to apologise.
“Another has left the party following internal disputes during their leadership elections.
“This is the pattern we are seeing across the country: Reform UK are not fit to hold office and are already unravelling. Sheffield deserves better.”
It is understood that at least 15 Reform councillors across the country have left the party since the May 7 election.
That includes Glen Gibbins, in Sunderland, who reportedly said Nigerians should be melted downs to “fill in the pot holes”, and Jay Cooper from Sefton who is an alleged Holocaust denier.
In an interview with The Star last week, Sheffield Reform branch leader John Hesketh - who took over leadership on Friday, May 15 - said that he “refutes that there is a pattern here,” adding: “I don’t think it’s a Reform situation, I think it’s just bad luck,”
Woodhouse councillor Nathaniel Menday - who was suspended after deleted social media posts in which he described the UK as having a “subhuman underclass” were uncovered - has now announced that he hopes to continue serving the city.
In a post on Facebook, he added: “I have decided to carry on in my role and if anything changes I will state that on here. I am playing catch up and I apologise to my constituents, but I'll get there in time.
“When every other email is an interview request it doesn't incline you to open them, or to attend in person events when you know you will feel the hard stare of countless people upon you.
“I am technically a politician now so maybe I need to toughen up but i'm also a young lad and this has been pretty overwhelming.
“If however, as Labour called for, I resigned, you'd be in the same position just for longer.”