Reform UK Presses on With May 2026 Local Election Plans Despite Turmoil & Lack of Engagement With Members...

Amanda Napper Chairman of Reform UK Hartlepool

Reform UK's Hartlepool group presses ahead with May 2026 local election plans despite growing turmoil, as members claim a lack of engagement over the defection of a controversial Conservative Councillor & other party decisions shows the party is operating like a 'de facto dictatorship'....

14th August 2025

The Reform UK branch in Hartlepool is said to be facing growing unrest among its members, as concerns mount over claims the party is being run like a de facto dictatorship, with minimal (if any) member say on decisions made within the political group.

Whilst the local branch claims to be gearing up for the May 2026 elections, insiders say its members feel increasingly side-lined, ignored, and disillusioned over the parties course, especially after Reform's controversial decision to allow a former Hartlepool Conservative Councillor into the political group.

Reform's decision to allow Former Conservative Councillor Mike Young into the group branded 'unforgivable' by members.

Members have branded the decision to allow Mike Young into the political group as 'unforgivable'..

Controversy erupted last week after Mike Young, a long-time former Conservative figure, crossed over to Reform UK, with many local members reportedly seeing the move as a betrayal of the party’s anti-establishment principles & questioning why an ex-Tory with such a controversial track record of 'dishonesty' in the council chamber was being embraced by Reform without meaningful consultation with its grassroots members.

According to sources, the backlash has been significant. Several discontented members have already reportedly written directly to Reform UK’s head office to terminate their party memberships, citing not only Mike Young's defection but also the branch’s lack of engagement and transparency with its members.

An email sent to members by the Hartlepool branch's leadership—& seen by The Teesside & Durham Post —touts recent by-election wins and urges members to “start participating” by attending meetings and getting involved in campaigning. However, critics say the tone of the message, as well as Reform's social media responses in regards to their now newest councillor Mike Young is dismissive of legitimate concerns, framing disengagement as members “staying at home and moaning,” rather than addressing the core issues causing frustration.

For some, the arrival of Mike Young was the tipping point in the part of a wider problem with Reform itself: a party that seemingly talks about democracy whilst failing to meaningfully involve its own party members in its decision-making.

With the May 2026 local elections still over a year away, Reform UK in Hartlepool may find that internal divisions and a steady trickle of resignations could now undermine their chances of achieving the so called “majority” they claim is essential to change the town.

If the leadership doesn’t bridge the gap between its councillors and the grassroots, Hartlepool voters might not be the only ones walking away—its own members could be, too.