Reform UK councillor quits days after election

"A Reform UK councillor who was elected last week has resigned and has been expelled from the party. Stuart Prior was one of 53 Reform members who were elected to Essex County Council and earned a majority on the authority for Nigel Farage's party. Prior also gained a seat on Rochford District Council. But he was accused the week before the elections of creating racist and Islamophobic posts on social media by Hope Not Hate."

"The BBC attempted to contact Prior. He denied being a racist when approached by the Daily Mirror newspaper. Stuart Prior is alleged to have described white people as "the master race" who have "larger brains". Reform had said over several days last week the party was "looking into these posts". A party source said earlier that Prior had resigned from both councils and "he's had his membership revoked"."

"Hope Not Hate (HNH) claimed Prior deleted an X account named @essexpriory earlier this year which had tweeted in November "Muslims are dirt" and "Muslims are awful, globally". He was accused of posting that genocide could not be committed against them. Prior responded to the Mirror newspaper "that's not what I would have put down" and "this isn't me". Hope Not Hate is a campaigning organisation that aims to tackle and expose far-right hate."

"PA Media Prior won the Essex County Council division of Rayleigh West with a majority of 796 votes, taking the seat off the Liberal Democrats. The Reform candidate also won Sweyne Park and the Grange on Rochford. Farage's party won all 13 seats up for grabs on the district council - and no one party now has overall control there. A by-election is likely to be held for both seats."

Stuart Prior, a Reform UK councillor elected to Essex County Council and Rochford District Council, resigned from both roles and had his party membership revoked. He faced accusations before the elections of creating racist and Islamophobic posts on social media, including claims that white people were a “master race” with “larger brains.” Hope Not Hate alleged he deleted an X account that had posted anti-Muslim statements and suggested genocide could not be committed against Muslims. Prior denied racism when approached by a newspaper, saying the statements were not what he would have put down and that it was not him. Reform UK had been looking into the posts, and political opponents called for him to be dropped as a candidate. By-elections are likely for the affected seats.

Read at www.bbc.com