Lib Dems Slam ‘Chaos’ as Reform’s Hartlepool Leader Steps Down..
‘Hartlepool Deserves Better’: Lib Dems Hit Out After Reform Leader Quits
9th September 2026
The Hartlepool Liberal Democrats have accused Reform UK of creating “chaos” at the council after its leader sensationally announced this week that he was stepping down from the role less than four months after taking charge.
Councillor Graham Harrison, who became Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council following May’s local elections, announced on Sunday that he intends to leave the top job following what he described as a change in his personal circumstances.
Harrison was confirmed as Council Leader on 21st of May 2026 after Reform UK made unprecedented gains in the town’s local elections seeing every Labour Councillor removed from their council seat. His departure means that he now holds the accolade as the shortest serving council leader since Hartlepool Borough Council was established as a unitary authority back in 1996.
The outgoing leader said the position effectively required a full-time commitment and that, following changes in his personal circumstances, he no longer believed he could devote the time and attention required to the role, however he would remain a Reform UK councillor representing Burn Valley despite stepping down as leader for the remainder of his elected term, with Harrison elected until 2029.
Liberal Democrats: ‘Hartlepool deserves better’
The announcement has prompted criticism from The Hartlepool Liberal Democrats, who say whoever takes over must provide greater stability and “put the town first”.
Liberal Democrat campaigner for Foggy Furze, Connor Stallard, described Harrison’s decision as a shock and took aim at both Reform locally and the Labour Government nationally.
“It’s a shock that after less than four months on the job Reform’s Leader has called it quits,” he said.
“Hartlepool deserves better than a failing Labour government, and a Reform Council shifting direction after less than four months.
“Whoever is elected as the next Leader needs to crack on and deliver for Hartlepool and put an end to the chaos, and if Reform can’t or don’t want to run the council, then they had best all step down and allow for fresh elections.”
New leader to be chosen next week
The leadership change comes at a difficult time for Hartlepool Borough Council, with the teesside council with no public confidence facing major financial pressures and a series of important decisions over spending and the future delivery of local services.
When Harrison took over in May, he said his first priority would be to understand the council’s financial position and conduct a “clear and transparent review” of its finances.
His departure now leaves Reform UK needing to find a successor capable of taking forward that programme only months after the party assumed the council leadership with two candidates already poised to possibly take on the role being either current Deputy Leader & former Conservative Councillor Mike Young or Reform's first ever elected councillor in Hartlepool Amanda Napper.
An Extraordinary Meeting of Full Council has been called for Tuesday 15 September, when councillors will formally appoint Hartlepool Borough Council’s next leader, where its claimed whoever emerges from that meeting as leader will no doubt inherit not only the financial challenges facing the troubled council, but also the task of demonstrating that the council can now provide political stability after its first Reform leader’s remarkably brief spell in charge.
