Reform expels councillor after leadership challenge

Former Reform UK councillor Patrick Lambert is now 'non-aligned'

- JAMES ROBINSON Local Democracy Reporter

Nicole Brooke was expelled from Reform UK

A SECOND Reform councillor in Northumberland has been expelled from the party after an attempt to remove the group leadership.

Norham and Islandshires councillor Patrick Lambert will join Berwick North councillor Nicole Brooke as a nonaligned councillor.

Reform has said the pair were kicked out for breaching party rules over plans to hold a no confidence vote in the local leadership.

The party has also accused them of “misusing” the signatures of colleagues in a letter to the party's central office expressing concerns about the way in which the Northumberland group was being led.

Coun Lambert strenuously denied any misuse of signatures and has requested an appeal to his expulsion.

Both Coun Lambert and Coun Brooke were suspended from Reform at the end of September pending the investigation.

But in a letter to the party, seen by The Journal, Coun Lambert pointed out that the reasons for his expulsion were not those given for his suspension.