Former Labour Figures Join Reform UK
Sir Robin Wales, the former Labour mayor of Newham, along with ex-councillor Clive Furness, have officially joined Reform UK. Furness has been chosen as Reform UK's candidate for the mayoral election in Newham, while Sir Robin Wales will serve as the party's London director of local government.
The announcement was made during a press conference featuring Reform leader Nigel Farage. Sir Robin, who was the UK's longest-serving mayor before being deselected by Labour in 2018, acknowledged that Reform UK has "a lot of rough edges" but emphasized that the party offers an opportunity to "transform our society."
"The party had a lot of rough edges but represented a chance to transform our society," said Sir Robin Wales.
Clive Furness cited the "balkanisation of Britain," characterized by voting patterns divided along religious and racial lines, as a key reason for his decision to join Reform UK. He criticized Labour for having "failed London" and being "completely out of touch with the communities it was meant to represent."
"Labour had failed London and was completely out of touch with the communities it was meant to represent," Furness stated.
Furness, who served as a councillor in Newham for over 20 years, added that the Labour Party had "abandoned its core principles" and the working class.
"The party had abandoned its core principles and the working class," he added.
Sir Robin Wales criticized the current mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, saying that under his leadership, the city has experienced "soaring crime, failing services, and a party that prioritises the wealthy elite over the working class it was built to represent."
"Under mayor Sadiq Khan, London had seen soaring crime, failing services, and a party that prioritises the wealthy elite over the working class it was built to represent," Sir Robin said.
Background on Sir Robin Wales and Newham Politics
During his tenure as mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales played a significant role in the regeneration of the east London borough, particularly in connection with the 2012 Olympic Games. Despite these achievements, his leadership style attracted criticism, and he was ultimately removed by Labour members after 23 years in office.
A spokesperson for London Labour responded to the announcement by accusing Reform UK of "scraping the barrel." They noted that neither Sir Robin Wales nor Clive Furness had been involved with the Labour movement for some time. Regarding Sir Robin, they said, "In Newham, Robin Wales was removed by local members following concerns about his record in office."
Reform UK's Ambitions in London
Reform UK is aiming to gain seats in the upcoming local elections scheduled for May, when council positions across all 32 London boroughs will be contested. Currently, Newham Council is dominated by Labour, which holds the vast majority of seats, while Reform UK does not have any representation on the council.
Nigel Farage, who had hinted at a significant Labour defection to Reform UK, mentioned that discussions are ongoing with several other individuals who have previously held senior roles within the Labour Party.
"Talks were ongoing with a number of other figures who had held senior positions in the party," Farage said.
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