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Councillor quit Tories for Reform over election row

Reform UK Robin Hunter-Clarke posing for a handshake with Nigel Farage. Both are wearing dark suits. Hunter Clarke has a blue spotted tie, Farage has a black spotted tie.Reform UK
Robin Hunter-Clarke joined Nigel Farage on stage after announcing his defection

Norfolk's first Reform UK councillor said he switched from the Conservatives to "stand up for democracy".

Robin Hunter-Clarke quit the Tories following a county council vote backing the postponement of elections ahead of a shake-up of local government.

He had been elected to Breckland District Council in May 2024 and was also working for the Mid Norfolk Conservative MP George Freeman as his campaign director.

Freeman said he was "disappointed" by Hunter-Clarke's decision but "wished him all the best for the future".

Hunter-Clarke appeared on stage with Nigel Farage at a Reform conference following his defection.

He told the BBC that he chose to change parties after county councillors voted to support a plan for devolution, which would also see this May's county council election postponed.

He claimed that he tried to attend a meeting of Conservative councillors before the vote but was "thrown out".

Paul Moseley/BBC This is Norfolk County Council's main chamber. It's wood-panelled with most seats taken, and around 60 councillors in attendance.Paul Moseley/BBC
Only one Conservative county councillor voted against the plan, which could see May's elections postponed

"The Conservative Party – along with the Labour Party - voted to cancel democracy," he said.

"I'm going to stand up for democracy and that's why I left."

"I could no longer go on supporting them. They're scared of Reform. Reform has the momentum to deliver real change in this country."

Kay Mason Billig is smiling at the camera whilst standing outside the Forum in Norwich. She's wearing a navy blue suit jacket.
Conservative council leader Kay Mason Billig cast doubt on Hunter-Clarke's reasons for leaving the Tories

Kay Mason Billig, the Conservative leader of Norfolk County Council, disputed Hunter-Clarke's version of events and said the meeting had only been for current Conservative county councillors.

Mason Billig said she believed that whilst there had been a "genuine misunderstanding" it was "extremely unlikely that Robin had not already made his decision to join Reform before he attended our council meeting"

"He was clearly prepared with a speech to appear on the platform with Nigel Farage at their conference the following day. Call me cynical but this looks very pre-planned."

She added that her party was "sorry to lose Robin".

A younger Robin Hunter-Clarke standing outside an office. In the window is a UKIP poster. He is wearing a dark blue suit, lighter blue shirt and a blue tie - with a UKIP badge on his left lapel.
Hunter-Clarke had previously defected from the Conservatives to UKIP, before eventually rejoining the party

This is not the first time that Hunter-Clarke, 32, has switched political sides.

He joined the Conservatives as a teenager and was elected to Skegness Town Council, before defecting to UKIP and eventually working for the party's leader in Wales, Neil Hamilton.

He said he returned to the Tories after moving to Norfolk, where he works as a solicitor.

Despite changing parties less than ten months after being elected, he insisted that he would be able to better serve voters.

Hunter-Clarke said: "I can actually achieve far more my residents and the people of Breckland sitting independently as Reform. I'm not told what to do."

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