The Deputy Leader of Hillingdon Council, Conservative councillor Richard Mills, is facing calls to resign after it was revealed he used a pseudonymous Facebook account to comment on local political issues as if he were an ordinary resident. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) uncovered that the account, operating under the username 'DelightfulYuzu2877', was used to support council policies, criticise a Reform councillor, and dismiss residents' concerns as coming from the "usual rent a crowd" and "keyboard warriors".
Cllr Mills, who has been Deputy Leader since May 2026, confirmed to the LDRS that he is behind the pseudonym. He defended the practice, stating that he used local community groups as "a form of focus group to gauge public opinion on a variety of local issues" and that his actions were in line with Facebook's guidelines. After being contacted by the LDRS, he changed the username to 'CherishedBlueberry2754'.
Comments Under the Pseudonym
Among the comments attributed to Cllr Mills, he wrote about a Reform councillor in West Drayton, saying: "...So we have Reform in West Drayton now and they let this happen. What is Counsellor (sic) Capps doing about this. Said they would stop all HMOs. 2 months since the vote and I've not seen or heard him do anything for our area." He also claimed to have voted for Reform, writing: "...But i voted for reform and was told that they won here and Yiewsley and Heathrow so why don't they stop this hmo…" However, Cllr Mills does not live in West Drayton, according to the local Conservatives' website, meaning he could not have voted there.
The pseudonymous account also commented on the council's decision to close the tip in West Drayton, suggesting decisions could be influenced by which areas voted for the ruling party: "West Drayton chose a mix of opposition representatives on the council so probably part of what happens when picking the losing side." In other comments, he told a resident complaining about fly-tipping: "Looking forward to see you putting yourself forward for election [user's name]. Wouldn't want to get a reputation as one of those people's who just complains continuously." He also dismissed residents campaigning against changes to financial scrutiny rules, calling them "keyboard warriors".
Political Reactions and Calls for Resignation
Cllr Sophie Dror, Leader of Hillingdon Reform, described the behaviour as "deeply concerning" and stated: "Honesty, integrity and transparency should be the bare minimum for anyone holding elected office, yet Cllr Mills has chosen to hide behind a pseudonym while repeatedly attacking Reform councillors and promoting political arguments as though he were an ordinary resident." She added that Reform councillors "will not be bullied, undermined or intimidated by political games played from behind fake identities".
Hillingdon Labour called on Cllr Mills to resign as Deputy Leader, arguing he breached the council's Code of Conduct. Cllr Sital Punja said: "Richard Mills has shown nothing but contempt for the residents he was elected to serve. As Chief Whip and now Deputy Leader of Hillingdon Council, he had a duty to lead by example." She cited Clause 8 of the Members' Code of Conduct, which requires councillors to promote high standards "by leadership and example", and called the pseudonym "a clear breach". She also said: "His justification that his wrongdoing was permitted under Facebook's rules is beside the point and, frankly, insulting. Facebook's terms of service do not set the standard for how elected members behave. The council's Code of Conduct does, and Cllr Richard Mills has broken it."
No Response from Council or Leader
The LDRS contacted the Hillingdon Conservative Group and Cllr Steve Tuckwell, Leader of the Council, for comment. Neither responded by the time of publication. Cllr Mills was also asked whether he actually voted for Reform and whether he accepted misleading residents, but he did not respond to these specific questions. A Hillingdon Council spokesperson said: "Like all local authorities, Hillingdon has a recognised complaints process for any potential breaches of the Member Code of Conduct, and it would be inappropriate for the council to comment."
