"Furness said the "balkanisation of Britain", with people voting along religious and racial lines, was among the reasons he was joining Reform. He said Labour had "failed London" and the party was "completely out of touch with the communities it was meant to represent". Furness, who spent more than two decades as a councillor in Newham, added that the party had "abandoned its core principles" and the working class."
"Sir Robin said that under mayor Sadiq Khan, London had seen "soaring crime, failing services, and a party that prioritises the wealthy elite over the working class it was built to represent". As mayor of Newham, Sir Robin oversaw the regeneration of the east London borough as part of the 2012 Olympics."
"A London Labour spokersperson said Reform were "scraping the barrel" with the announcement. "Neither men have been part of the Labour movement for some time. In Newham, Robin Wales was removed by local members following concerns about his record in office," they said."
Former Labour mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales and ex-councillor Clive Furness have defected to Reform UK. Furness has been selected as Reform's candidate for mayor of Newham, while Wales will serve as the party's London director of local government. Both cited Labour's failures, including the party abandoning working-class principles and prioritizing wealthy elites. Furness specifically criticized the "balkanisation of Britain" with voting along religious and racial lines. Wales highlighted soaring crime and failing services under Mayor Sadiq Khan. Labour dismissed the defections, noting both men had been absent from the party for considerable time and that Wales was previously removed by local members. Reform aims to gain council seats in May's local elections across London's 32 boroughs.
Read at www.bbc.com
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