Reform UK Lancashire councillor suspended after 'hardline' immigration comment

County Cllr Tom Pickup - the lead member for finance and resources on the authority - told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that he accepts the messages are genuine and says his suspension was “the right thing to do” - but that he “look[s] forward to the facts coming out” during an investigation that has now been launched by the party.

He was speaking on Wednesday afternoon, more than 24 hours after his messages were published by the X account Reform Party UK Exposed. The organisation claimed the posts were made in what it describes as a “far-right WhatsApp group”.

Lancashire County Council said County Cllr Pickup remains on the authority, where he represents the Padiham and Burnley West division, but is now sitting as an independent - meaning he no longer holds his lead member role.

Reform UK was approached by the LDRS, but declined to comment beyond confirming his suspension.

In the WhatsApp messages, County Cllr Pickup - identified only as ‘Tom’ in the screenshots obtained by Reform Party UK Exposed - responds to another, unidentified member of the chat who writes that a "majority of Brits want mass deportations and re migration [sic]”.

County Cllr Pickup says: “I agree, I think a clear and detailed policy on immigration will be rolled out quite soon, but until now as the party have been growing it’s been good to use tact to get us there, previous hardline parties have all failed by not doing this approach”.

In a separate message - it is unclear whether sent later or earlier - he writes: “I’m a Reform councillor, everyone in Reform is a lot more hardline on immigration than is typically stated publicly, to get a majority government we have to be tactical.”

County Cllr Pickup was elected to County Hall in May as one of the 53 Reform county councillors who helped carry the party to outright control of the authority from a standing start.

His lead member for finance post - effectively a deputy to the cabinet member for resources, HR and property - will have been key to the 'efficiency review' recently undertaken by the authority, details of which are due to be presented to the cabinet next week.

County Cllr Pickup also indicates in the messages that he would like to see the former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe succeed party leader Nigel Farage "whenever Farage steps down for whatever reason” after leading Reform to power nationally.

Mr. Lowe now sits as an independent in the Commons after being suspended by Reform in March following accusations he had threatened the then party chair, Zia Yusuf - allegations which he has always denied and was never charged over - and a subsequent falling out with Mr. Farage.

The Progressive Lancashire main opposition group on Lancashire County Council was approached for comment about County Cllr Pickup's suspension

A spokesperson for the Labour Party in the county said: "These comments are nothing short of despicable. This, after the disturbing allegations about Nigel Farage in the Guardian this week [of alleged racism during his school days, which Reform said was an attempt to "smear" the party and "mislead" the public] is a terrifying insight into Reform UK's choice of representatives.

"It is imperative that Reform UK now explain the party's obvious failure to carry out due diligence and to apologise to the people of Lancashire for allowing such figures to not only represent them, but to play a vital role in their finances and resources."

***This article was updated at 7.14pm on 19th Nov to reflect that County Cllr Pickup accepts that the WhatsApp messages quoted here are genuine.