A Reform UK councillor who was accused of making racist posts on social media has resigned from his elected positions just days after being voted in, and his party membership has been revoked. Stuart Prior, who denied making racist posts when asked, was elected last week as a Reform UK councillor for Essex County Council and for Rochford District Council.
The campaign group Hope Not Hate discovered posts, allegedly made by Prior, which described white people as 'the master race' who have 'larger brains'. A Reform UK source stated on Monday: 'Stuart Prior informed us that he was resigning from his elected positions for personal reasons. We have also revoked his Reform UK membership.'
Prior had been elected to the Rayleigh West division for Essex County Council and to the Sweyne Park and Grange ward for Rochford District Council, both with about 40% of the vote. Reform UK won control of Essex County Council from the Conservatives on Friday, securing 53 of the 78 seats up for election.
When confronted by the Mirror, Prior said he 'didn't recall' the post about white people being the 'master race', adding: 'Blimey.' He also denied being racist. An Essex County Council spokesperson confirmed: 'We have had confirmation that the successful candidate for Rayleigh West has resigned from their position as a county councillor. We also understand they have resigned from their role as a councillor for Rochford District Council. Officers from both authorities will work together to coordinate by-elections, with arrangements communicated to residents as soon as possible.' A spokesperson from Rochford District Council also confirmed this.
In a separate incident, another Reform candidate, Glenn Gibbins, who said Nigerians should be melted down to 'fill in the pot holes', is being investigated by the party just days after winning a seat. Gibbins, the new councillor for Hylton Castle Ward in Sunderland, had won in this week's council elections, one of more than 1,450 new Reform council seats across the country. In now-deleted posts, he ranted on social media that he 'carnt [sic] believe amount of Nigerians in town' and they 'should melt them all down and fill in the pot holes'. Gibbins also complained about women being on TV, calling Mel and Sue the two 'unfunniest fat repulsive lesbian hosts ever'.
His views extend to sport, writing during the 2021 Ireland v Japan rugby match: 'Yet another woman comentator. It's getting out of controll. There must be a hundred better male comentators but had to give it to a female [sic]. Wish they wud stick to cooking, sewing and homemaking [sic].' Speaking on BBC's Politics North, deputy leader of Durham County Council Darren Grimes claimed Gibbins had been suspended from the party. Grimes said: 'He's been suspended and the party is investigating those very serious allegations and will act on them.'
