It took just three days for newly-elected councillor Donna Edmunds to be shown the door – well, temporarily – by Reform UK. Why? Because she basically told everyone she plans to leave them anyway.
📩 ‘You’re suspended’: the email no councillor wants
Edmunds revealed she had received an email from Reform UK HQ notifying her of her suspension pending an investigation. The reason? Her honesty on social media.
In a post on X, she wrote:
“I urged people here on X to lend Reform their support for the short term – for Thursday’s elections – even if they felt they couldn’t for the long term.”
According to the party, that comment alone “brought the party into disrepute”.
🗳️ Who is Donna Edmunds?
Edmunds was elected as one of Reform’s 677 councillors last Thursday, representing Hodnet in Shropshire. But even before the votes were counted, she was already eyeing the exit.
She posted a screengrab showing an earlier comment that said:
“I’m a Reform candidate. I’m waiting for Rupert and Ben to give us a real alternative and then I’ll defect. I’m far from being the only one.”
In case you missed it – that’s a public declaration that she was only with Reform for the ride.
😤 She’s not holding back
Edmunds didn’t just accept her suspension quietly. She took the opportunity to criticise the party for dumping former deputy leader Ben Habib and giving MP Rupert Lowe the boot.
She also described the campaign as “difficult,” saying many voters were desperate for change but couldn’t support a party “who would behave so shamefully toward their own”.
🤐 Reform responds
A spokesperson for Reform UK gave a very brief statement:
“The reason for her suspension is that she posted on social media that she intended to defect to another party. We will not comment further until the completion of the investigation.”
Looks like the honeymoon period is well and truly over.
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