Barnsley politics in confusion with Reform defection claim and counter-claim
BARNSLEY politics have been thown into confusion with a Labour councillor resigning – but Reform deny his claim to have joined them.
Cllr Trevor Smith, who represented Labour after serving for the defunct Veterans and Democrats party, said he resigned from Labour two days before a selection meeting earlier this week, where candidates for next May’s elections were decided.
That means sitting councillors Pauline Markham and Kevin Osborne will be joined by new candidate Richard Ullyott.
Cllr Smith claimed he would now represent Reform on the authority, fighting the next election as their candidate.
But Reform have refuted that, stating: “Cllr Trevor Smith has not been authorised to represent Reform UK and has not been accepted into the party.
“We have contacted Barnsley Council to confirm that Cllr Smith is an independent councillor, not a Reform councillor.”
Cllr Smith has served twice on Barnsley Council, from 2006 to 2010, and again from 2019 and said he was persuaded to join Labour after the Veterans and Democrats party folded.
But he said: “I am going to Reform, I have a Reform background.”
Paperwork for his status as a Reform councillor was currently being completed, he said.
He was chairman of the Barnsley branch of Ukip and claims some credit for the strength of the vote in favour of Brexit in Barnsley.
Cllr Smith said he had become disillusioned with Labour nationally because of work by Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer to strengthen ties with the EU.
“It made me angry, basically, trying to dismantle what people in Barnsley voted for,” he said.
“Migration was a top topic and it is the one that people are still talking about now.
“How much money is it costing?”
Cllr Smith has been a Royal British Legion fund raiser for 27 years and in his local authority career has served on the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority and South Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Panel, representing Barnsley Council.
He has also served as a magistrate.
The move comes at a time when Reform has become an increasing force in local politics.
Next May’s elections in Barnsley are ‘all out’, mean all council seats will be put to the vote, rather the historic method of a third of councillors facing election at any time.