Laura Newman, a prospective Reform UK candidate who spent months canvassing and building support in Hammersmith Broadway, claims she was removed at the last minute by the local branch chair, who decided to contest the seat herself. Newman also alleges that the same chair suggested deleting social media accounts to bypass vetting concerns.
Allegations of Unfair Treatment
Laura Newman, 50, was set to stand in the Hammersmith Broadway ward for the May 7 elections. She had been allocated the ward alongside another Reform candidate, Muj Khan, with official photos taken and a leaflet drafted. However, on March 30, just 11 days before the candidate submission deadline, Newman says she received a call from Dr. Olivia Feng, Chair of the Hammersmith and Fulham Reform UK branch, informing her she would no longer be standing in that ward.
Dr. Feng allegedly stated that party headquarters required all candidates to stand in their home ward, and offered Newman the option of being a 'paper' candidate in neighboring Fulham Reach. Newman rejected this proposal and claims she was subsequently removed from all party communications channels by Dr. Feng.
Newman described the actions as "ruthless" and "appalling," leaving her disillusioned ahead of the elections. She first became involved with Reform UK in early 2025, attending a meeting in Kensington and Chelsea, and had since canvassed for party candidates in local by-elections. She agreed to stand in May, willing to take any ward in the borough.
In February, she was suggested to take on Hammersmith Broadway, near her home, and began building a support network with Mr. Khan. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has seen an email from Dr. Feng on March 16 confirming the pair as ward candidates, along with photos and a draft leaflet. However, after a day of canvassing two weeks later, Newman received the call removing her.
Inconsistencies in Candidate Selection
Newman doubts the claim that candidates must stand in their home ward, noting that several other Reform candidates were selected to contest wards outside their immediate area. For instance, David Kelly, a Hammersmith and Fulham candidate, is recorded as living in Colchester but can stand due to working in the borough.
After discussing with her husband, Newman rejected the offer to run in her home ward but was willing to stand elsewhere. She claims Dr. Feng then removed her from local WhatsApp groups and other communications. Newman submitted a complaint to the party, which the LDRS has seen, but has yet to receive a response.
"She was still filling the list of candidates right up into the last week, when the forms had to go in," Newman said. "It was odd that even though I said I'm putting a complaint in, I'm happy to be a paper candidate, she dropped all my communications, took me off all the groups, stood me down on everything."
Newman questioned why the party would block long-interested locals like her while actively seeking people from other parties or those with little political interest.
Vetting Concerns and Social Media Deletion Suggestion
Newman also raised concerns about the party's vetting process. She flagged that her husband might not pass vetting due to previous tweets showing support for other parties. The LDRS has seen messages from Dr. Feng asking if her husband could stand as a paper candidate. When Newman responded that he would not pass vetting, Dr. Feng allegedly suggested he "delete all the social media accounts." Newman rejected this request.
These points were put to Dr. Feng and Reform UK, but the LDRS received no response. Newman said the experience has left her disillusioned and undecided on who to vote for in May.
"There's good and bad on both the Labour and Conservative sides," she said. "I thought Reform were maybe going to come in fresh, take the good of both parties, and do something new and radical. We're going to listen to working average people. But you haven't really done that, have you?"
She added: "It's just ruthless, appalling behavior. All the candidates have messaged me in support."
The LDRS previously reported that Dr. Feng had emailed residents asking them to stand as paper candidates, advising that if successful, they could 'resign immediately.' A Reform UK spokesperson said at the time: "This email was not authorized or issued by Reform HQ, nor do we condone its contents. While paper candidates are a longstanding part of our political system, any Reform candidate is expected to represent their ward to the best of their ability if elected."
