A newly-elected council member from Reform UK has stepped down and been ousted from the party following revelations of racist comments made on social media. Stuart Prior, who secured a seat on Essex County Council and Rochford District Council as part of Nigel Farage’s party’s recent success, resigned after it was exposed that he had shared racist content online prior to the election.
The joint investigation by the Mirror and Hope Not Hate uncovered Prior’s racially charged posts, prompting calls for Reform UK to remove him as a candidate before the elections. A spokesperson for Reform UK confirmed that Prior had resigned from his positions and had his party membership revoked for personal reasons.
Authorities at Essex County Council and Rochford District Council have confirmed that Prior has resigned from both councils, triggering the need for by-elections to fill the vacated seats. Prior had deleted a Twitter account earlier this year, where he had posted derogatory remarks about Muslims, including denying the possibility of genocide against them.
Despite Prior’s denial of the racist content attributed to him, he was elected to represent Rayleigh West on Essex County Council and Sweyne Park and The Grange on Rochford District Council. Nigel Farage defended the vetting process of Reform UK candidates, stating that they are held to a higher standard compared to other parties.
Critics, including Joe Mulhall from Hope Not Hate, accused Reform UK of failing to adequately vet its candidates. Prior’s online activity included controversial remarks about various ethnic groups, women, and immigrants, drawing condemnation from the public. Other Reform candidates faced similar scrutiny and calls for resignation due to their offensive comments.