Reform UK has faced significant criticism after one of its senior councillors liked a Facebook post that explicitly called for a Labour MP to be shot. The incident has sparked outrage and prompted calls for immediate disciplinary action against the councillor involved.
Councillor's Controversial Social Media Activity
Cllr Simon Evans, who serves as cabinet member for children and families on Lancashire Council under the Reform banner, approved a Facebook post targeting Labour MP Natalie Fleet. The post referenced the grooming gang inquiry and contained violent language directed at Ms Fleet, stating: "You dozy cow...you should be shot."
Following public exposure of his social media activity, Cllr Evans issued a formal apology, explaining that he had not fully read the accompanying text of the Facebook post before liking it. He emphasised that he would never intentionally endorse or wish violence upon anyone, regardless of their political affiliation.
Political Reactions and Reform's Response
Alex Davies-Jones MP, Labour's minister for victims and tackling violence against women and girls, condemned the incident as "grotesque and misogynistic." She called on Reform leader Nigel Farage to demonstrate leadership by immediately suspending Cllr Evans for what she described as a "vile and dangerous threat."
Reform UK conducted an internal investigation into the matter and subsequently accepted Cllr Evans' explanation and apology. The party released a statement indicating they considered the incident to be an honest mistake rather than intentional endorsement of violence.
This controversy emerged on the same day that Nigel Farage claimed during a press conference in Dover that he had personally "done more to tackle the far right than any other politician." The timing has led to questions about consistency within Reform's approach to extremist rhetoric among its members.
Councillor's Explanation and Additional Context
Cllr Evans clarified that his interest in the Facebook post stemmed from his longstanding campaign work on grooming gang issues, which he has focused on for many years. He stated that he failed to notice the violent text accompanying the post before liking it and immediately removed his approval once the full content was brought to his attention.
"I would like to sincerely apologise to Ms Fleet and anyone else for the offence caused," Cllr Evans said in his statement. "This sort of rhetoric has absolutely no place in our politics."
Broader Pattern of Controversial Statements
This incident follows other recent controversies involving Reform candidates. The party has resisted deselecting Chris Parry, their candidate for Mayor of Hampshire, despite controversial statements he made on social media. The former rear admiral suggested that Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy should "go home" to Jamaica and described Birmingham as "a failed colony."
In additional tweets, Mr Parry praised the late right-wing politician Enoch Powell as "unfulfilled" and questioned comedian Sir Lenny Henry's loyalty when the entertainer supported calls for slavery reparations. These incidents collectively raise questions about Reform's vetting processes and tolerance for inflammatory rhetoric among its representatives.
The growing pattern of controversial statements from Reform figures has intensified scrutiny of the party's internal standards and commitment to maintaining civil political discourse. As political tensions continue to rise, incidents like these highlight the challenges facing parties in monitoring their representatives' public communications.
