Councillor slams 'floundering' Reform leaders after suspension

A NORTHUMBERLAND county councillor has slammed the local Reform UK group after she was kicked out of the party for challenging its leadership.

- JAMES ROBINSON

Berwick North councillor Nicole Brooke confirmed the party whip had been withdrawn and said she wanted to set out “her side of the story” after she was removed from the party on Friday.

Coun Brooke was suspended by Reform on September 29, along with fellow councillor Patrick Lambert, pending an investigation, with the party citing a breach of council group rules “in a manner that could be detrimental to the party's interests”. The Local Democracy Reporting Service now understands that the alleged breach related to a challenge against the local party's leadership.

In a statement, Coun Brooke said the group's performance on Northumberland County Council had been “disappointing” and that residents “deserved better”.

She said: “I was recently suspended from the party, pending an internal investigation into my conduct. Until now, I've remained silent - not because I had nothing to say, but because I was respecting the ongoing process and the limitations placed on me during that time. I have now been informed that the investigation has concluded and a Reform UK Disciplinary Panel has decided to withdraw the whip and remove me from the party.

“You don’t need to be deeply involved in local politics to know that Reform UK made a significant breakthrough at Northumberland County Council in May 2025. We became the second-largest party and the official opposition, while winning the popular vote.