Full Breakdown
Reform UK Faces Wave of Resignations Amid Allegations of Bullying and Safeguarding Concerns
By Drooid · · How we work
Council Turmoil in Durham: Three Reform UK Councillors Quit
Three Durham County Council members—Lyndsey Fox (Bishop Auckland), Nicole Brown (Aycliffe South) and Paul Sexton (Chester-le-Street)—have had their party affiliation changed to independent on the council website. The departures leave Reform UK with a narrow majority of 52 seats on a council it won control of in the 2025 local elections, down from the 65 seats it secured the previous year.
Fox told Sky News that she reported a “very serious safeguarding issue” to the party on July 14 but received no response. She also referenced a “group chat going wild” and said she had been considering resignation for some time. Sexton confirmed his resignation but declined to give a reason. The BBC’s attempts to contact Brown and Fox for comment have not been answered.
Welsh Senedd Defection: Sarah Cooper-Lesadd Joins Plaid Cymru
Senedd Member Sarah Cooper-Lesadd, elected for Reform UK in May, announced her defection to Plaid Cymru after the arrest of Reform’s Welsh leader, Dan Thomas, on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour. She added that she would support Welsh independence in a future referendum and that she voted Remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
Background: Rapid Expansion and Emerging Internal Strains
Reform UK surged in the 2025 local elections, winning 65 of the 98 Durham seats and becoming the second-largest party in the Welsh Senedd after the May 2024 election. Since then, roughly 16 Reform councillors have left the party, and the recent resignations have intensified scrutiny of the party’s internal governance, including allegations of bullying and the handling of safeguarding concerns.
Data & Statistics
- Durham council seats held by Reform UK after resignations: 52 (down from 65).
- Total Reform UK councillors who have left since the 2025 election: ? 16.
- Welsh Senedd Reform UK members elected in May 2024: 1 (Cooper-Lesadd).
Official Statements & Responses
Council leader Andrew Husband said the departing councillors “have let their residents down” and accused them of “conning voters” with Reform colours. Deputy leader Darren Grimes and party spokesperson have dismissed the Sky News investigation as “misleading and malicious.”
Reform UK MP Richard Tice announced he will lodge a formal complaint to Ofcom, describing Sky News presenter Cathy Newman as an “anti-Reform activist” and “no longer a journalist.”
Welsh Police issued a statement that on September 13 a 45-year-old man from Aberbargoed was arrested on suspicion of assault and controlling/coercive behaviour, later released without charge.
Criticism & Opposition
Local activists have alleged that bullying and a “group chat going wild” contributed to the council resignations, though Reform UK has labelled the allegations as unfounded.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The specific nature of the “very serious safeguarding issue” reported by Fox has not been disclosed.
- Nicole Brown has not provided a public explanation for her resignation.
- No independent verification of the alleged bullying has been released.
Verbatim Quotes
- “These people have let their residents down.” — Andrew Husband
- “On Sunday 13 September a 45-year-old man, from the Aberbargoed area, was arrested on suspicion of assault and engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour. He has been bailed pending further enquiries.” — Gwent Police
What’s Next
- Reform UK plans to file a complaint with Ofcom on September 15, 2026 regarding the Sky News coverage.
- No by-election is required for Cooper-Lesadd’s seat, as Welsh parliamentary rules allow members to retain their seats after changing party affiliation.
