Reality Bites in Cornwall: The Rise and Fall of Reform UK's Dominance
In a stunning reversal, Reform UK, once hailed as a dominant force in Cornwall politics, has descended into chaos. Just three months after the local elections, where the party took 28 seats on Cornwall council, its presence is now marked by resignations, suspensions, and infighting.
Nigel Farage's prophecy of Reform UK becoming a dominant force in British politics seems further away than ever. In February, Farage told a jubilant crowd that his party would be "a dominant force" in Cornwall and beyond. However, the reality on the ground is starkly different. The party now holds 23 seats, down from its former high of 28.
Critics point to the chaos as evidence that Reform UK is not capable of delivering beyond a protest vote. The party's leadership has been marred by controversy, with two key figures, Rowland O'Connor and Rob Parsonage, standing down in quick succession. Both cited interference from national figures and the lack of autonomy for local councillors as reasons for their departure.
O'Connor, who won 16.5% of the vote in North Cornwall last year, said he was forced to leave Reform UK due to the party's emphasis on national issues over local concerns. "The direct impact of immigration in Cornwall is negligible," he said. "There was an ongoing divergence between what time I was able to dedicate to serving the residents in my division versus trying to unravel the push-pull between national and local."
Parsonage, who represented Torpoint, quit as leader after receiving instructions from head office via WhatsApp to scrap all net-zero target-related matters. He argued that this approach was at odds with his role as a councillor, which required him to assess planning applications based on their merits.
The party's infighting continues, with the chair of the Camborne, Redruth and Hayle branch being removed from her position by members who felt she had been parachised in without their input. Meanwhile, Curtis Mellows, the then-chair of the Reform Cornwall south-east branch, has been suspended from the party after making allegedly offensive comments about Prince Harry on social media.
Despite the turmoil, Reform UK's newly appointed leader, Paul Ashton, maintains that there was no directive from Farage or other senior figures requiring councillors to toe the national line. "There is nobody from HQ breathing down our necks saying you've got to do this or you've got to do that," he said.
Leigh Frost, the Liberal Democrat leader of Cornwall council, welcomed the party's downfall, saying it was no surprise given their lack of experience and focus on national issues over local concerns. "Voters are right to expect their elected Reform UK representatives to remember the platform they were elected on, which includes opposing the net-zero agenda," she said.
As Reform UK continues to unravel, one thing is clear: its dominance in Cornwall politics has come to an end.
In a stunning reversal, Reform UK, once hailed as a dominant force in Cornwall politics, has descended into chaos. Just three months after the local elections, where the party took 28 seats on Cornwall council, its presence is now marked by resignations, suspensions, and infighting.
Nigel Farage's prophecy of Reform UK becoming a dominant force in British politics seems further away than ever. In February, Farage told a jubilant crowd that his party would be "a dominant force" in Cornwall and beyond. However, the reality on the ground is starkly different. The party now holds 23 seats, down from its former high of 28.
Critics point to the chaos as evidence that Reform UK is not capable of delivering beyond a protest vote. The party's leadership has been marred by controversy, with two key figures, Rowland O'Connor and Rob Parsonage, standing down in quick succession. Both cited interference from national figures and the lack of autonomy for local councillors as reasons for their departure.
O'Connor, who won 16.5% of the vote in North Cornwall last year, said he was forced to leave Reform UK due to the party's emphasis on national issues over local concerns. "The direct impact of immigration in Cornwall is negligible," he said. "There was an ongoing divergence between what time I was able to dedicate to serving the residents in my division versus trying to unravel the push-pull between national and local."
Parsonage, who represented Torpoint, quit as leader after receiving instructions from head office via WhatsApp to scrap all net-zero target-related matters. He argued that this approach was at odds with his role as a councillor, which required him to assess planning applications based on their merits.
The party's infighting continues, with the chair of the Camborne, Redruth and Hayle branch being removed from her position by members who felt she had been parachised in without their input. Meanwhile, Curtis Mellows, the then-chair of the Reform Cornwall south-east branch, has been suspended from the party after making allegedly offensive comments about Prince Harry on social media.
Despite the turmoil, Reform UK's newly appointed leader, Paul Ashton, maintains that there was no directive from Farage or other senior figures requiring councillors to toe the national line. "There is nobody from HQ breathing down our necks saying you've got to do this or you've got to do that," he said.
Leigh Frost, the Liberal Democrat leader of Cornwall council, welcomed the party's downfall, saying it was no surprise given their lack of experience and focus on national issues over local concerns. "Voters are right to expect their elected Reform UK representatives to remember the platform they were elected on, which includes opposing the net-zero agenda," she said.
As Reform UK continues to unravel, one thing is clear: its dominance in Cornwall politics has come to an end.
I mean, come on... Reform UK's downfall is a bit of a shame, considering how excited people were about their rise to power 
. It sounds like they got in over their heads with all the national stuff and lost sight of what actually matters: serving their local communities 
. Nigel Farage's prophecy didn't quite come true 
. I'm not surprised that councillors are quitting or getting suspended, though - it's hard to run a party when you've got egos clashing and party members going against each other 
. Maybe this is a chance for them to take a step back, regroup, and figure out what they really want to achieve? 
. They were all about Cornwall being a unique region with its own problems, not just a mini-UK 
. But now it seems like they're more focused on national issues than local concerns 
. And let's be real, who wants to have to deal with Farage's prophecy that never panned out 
? The people of Cornwall deserve better representation, and I'm glad the Liberal Demos are stepping up their game 
#ReformUK #CornwallPolitics #LocalIssuesMatter
. They were like the ultimate "new kid on the block" party, everyone thought they were gonna change the game and stuff, but in reality, they just couldn't keep their own house in order 
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. I mean, if you're gonna be a councillor in Cornwall, shouldn't that be your main focus? It's like trying to make a soufflé with one hand tied behind your back 
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. now, they're payin the price 4 their mistakes 
. Cornwall deserves better than infighting & disorganization 
And now they're in chaos because they can't even handle a simple councillor role 
. It's like, hello, Cornwall isn't that far away from London! Get your priorities straight, Reform UK 
. The people of Cornwall deserve better than a party that's more concerned with national drama than local issues 
They always spout about immigration but what about the people who actually live here? It's all national this and that, who cares about the local issues? 
The fact that their own councillors are quitting left and right says a lot. 
anyway i'm so glad they're not in power anymore
and now they're just another party with internal drama 
like what even is going on over there? 
vs 
is so not what people want in their reps 
can't say i'm surprised tho lol reform uk was always a bit of a weirdo party 
And on top of that, Curtis Mellows gets suspended for saying some pretty outrageous stuff about Prince Harry on social media... that's just not what you want from a councillor, you know? 
. And Farage's prophecy? Yeah, because nothing says "dominant force" like a party that can't even agree on its own agenda 
. It's not exactly the kind of transparency and accountability you'd expect from a political party, eh? 
. Maybe Reform UK will come back stronger? Or maybe they'll just go the way of all those other failed parties 
.
I mean, it's just heartbreaking what's happening with Reform UK in Cornwall right now 
. One minute they're all excited and confident, the next they're in chaos 
. It's like, you can't even trust the people who are supposed to be representing your interests when it comes down to local issues 
It's just so frustrating when you think reform is supposed to be about making things better, not tearing them apart 
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. I mean, if they can't even keep it together on local council, how are they gonna make a difference in the bigger picture? It's all just a bunch of infighting and drama 
. And what really gets my goat is that they're trying to blame everyone else for their own mess 
.
rowland o connor and rob parsonage leaving is huge news i mean what was going through their minds to stick around that long? 
. And now, they're paying the price 
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but really, it's just a bunch of people trying to cover their own behinds 
.