People of Havant wanted change, says Reform UK
Reform UK is celebrating the Conservatives being dealt a bloody nose in the Havant Borough Council elections as the party loses control for the first time in 22 years.
Tory support in the borough crumbled as the number of councillors the party has nosedived from 30 to just 13 in the local elections.
Of the 36 seats up for grabs after the boundary changes, there are now 13 Conservatives, 10 Labour, seven Lib Dems, four Greens and two Reform UK.
Among the shock results was Alex Rennie, the Conservative leader of the council, losing his seat after being beaten by Labour and Reform UK.
Reform’s Sharon Collings secured enough votes to be the third councillor in the Leigh Park Central and West Leigh ward, joining Labour’s Munazza Faiz and Jason Horton in ousting Mr Rennie.
Asked why she thought people turned to Reform, she said: “I think being honest with the residents. We’ve got a fantastic team, we’ve been out and about stomping the streets with residents’ letters, really getting in touch with residents, so they can really understand what the opportunities are ahead for them.”
The Conservatives have the most number of seats but no overall control. The last time the council was under no overall control was between 1990 and 2002.
“Everyone’s recognised it’s time to change, they’ve taken the opportunity and they’ve run with it, and I can't be more happy,” Ms Collings said.
Despite Reform picking up votes, have only two councillors so far – Ms Collings and Victoria
Rhodes, who was also elected to represent Leigh Park Hermitage.
Fellow party member John Perry, who is vying to be the next MP for Havant, said: “I think Havant is a fairly unique constituency, we’ve got some wards with the highest level of economic deprivation in the country and some of the most wealthy wards as well.
“I believe Reform appeals to everybody. I’ve gone around the wards,
I’ve spoken to people in the perhaps, you know, wealthy areas, and they are fed up with the Conservative policies and what they’ve done to the country, nothing works.”