Reform UK's councillors claim moral high ground on their travel expenses

LOWER TAKE-UP IS RIGHT FOR TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES, SAYS PARTY

- By LAUREN MONAGHAN Local democracy reporter

REFORM UK spent thousands of pounds less in travel expenses than its Conservative predecessors, with officials claiming it was "morally wrong to claim every penny".

New figures show Reform councillors at Nottinghamshire County Council claimed back £7,289 in travel expenses during the party's first year in charge of the council.

That is down 81 per cent on the figure recorded by the Conservatives, who ran the council before last May's local elections.

In the 2025-26 financial year, the Conservatives claimed back £11,889, £4,600 more than Reform, despite having 23 fewer councillors on the authority.

The current makeup of the council has Reform UK in control with 41 seats out of 66, while the Conservatives have 18, Labour have four and the independent Nottinghamshire Alliance group holds three seats.

The figures also show 31 per cent of Reform councillors claimed back their travel receipts in 2025-26 compared with 77 per cent of Conservative members.