Anderson wife in Reform pic row ‘a storm in a teacup’
THE suspension of Lee Anderson’s wife from the Conservative Party after she was pictured during a Reform UK campaign event has been dismissed as “a storm in a teacup” by a local party leader.
Councillor Sinead Anderson, who sits on Nottinghamshire County Council, appeared in a photo from the Reform UK campaign earlier this month.
The Conservatives have since suspended her pending an investigation. A post to X showed her at a campaign stop for Reform’s East Midlands Mayoral candidate Alan Graves.
Councillor Ben Bradley – leader of Conservative Nottinghamshire County Council – is also campaigning for mayor. The picture was taken in Ashfield, which Mr Anderson represents as an MP. He was removed from the Conservative Party last month and has now joined Reform UK.
Councillor Sinead Anderson is also part of the Conservative group on Mansfield District Council, representing Mansfield West.
Group leader Councillor Andre Camilleri dismissed the complaints, saying there would be no investigation on a district level. “She’s not going to join the Reform Party, she was just there with her husband and she got in a photo,” he said. “It’s a storm in a teacup – it’s ridiculous.” He described the complaint as “mischief”.
Councillor Chris Barnfather, Conservative Group business manager at the county council, said: “We are aware that Conservative Central Office has received a complaint regarding Councillor Anderson from an Independent Alliance councillor. The matter is under investigation in accordance with Conservative Party rules, and we as a group are in contact with Conservative Party headquarters pending an outcome, which we hope will be forthcoming expeditiously.”
Councillor Anderson has been contacted for comment.
Also standing in the East Midlands Mayoral race are Frank Adlington-stringer (Green), Matt Relf (Ind), Helen Tamblyn-saville (Lib Dem) and Clare Ward (Lab).