Councillors defect from Reform to Restore Britain

Two Reform UK councillors in Warwickshire have defected to a new party recently launched by MP Rupert Lowe, who also left the party.

In a joint statement, Scott Cameron and Luke Cooper said they were "delighted" to have made the move to Restore Britain.

Before confirming the move, they were removed from the party after Warwickshire County Council and Reform group leader, George Finch, said he believed they were planning to defect.

The pair said Reform UK had been "losing its way" and had become "centrist" and "moved ideologies to win the popularity vote."

The statement added that they felt supporting residents had been increasingly challenging "especially when you experience your own group pushing back".

"Whilst we may now wear a different rosette, we will continue working hard for all of our residents, championing Warwickshire and Britain alike," they said.

Earlier on Thursday, before the announcement, Finch said: "In these circumstances, it is not appropriate for them to continue to represent Reform UK or sit within our group.

"Reform UK in Warwickshire is here to deliver for residents — not to indulge in stunts designed to create headlines at the expense of local colleagues. I will not allow the hard work of our councillors and volunteers to be undermined."

The move means that three Reform councillor have lost the whip in Warwickshire over the past three weeks.

Council chairman Edward Harris resigned the whip last month after it emerged he had been illegally running two unsafe rental properties.

Reform remains the largest party on Warwickshire County Council with 19 councillors – down from the 22 who were elected in May 2025.

But Reform now faces a greater challenge to push through decisions at an authority which has no one party in overall control.

Key calls such as the budget and selecting the council leader have been pushed through with the support of the nine serving Conservative councillors.

There are 57 members in total on the council. The next largest party is the Liberal Democrats with 14, the Greens have six and Labour has three.

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