The family firm of a prominent Reform UK council leader is under scrutiny. This comes after Companies House threatened the business with a compulsory strike off. The company, Mansfield Carpets (Contracts) Limited, is owned by Gail Barton. She is the wife of Mick Barton, who leads Nottinghamshire county council for Reform UK.
Alarmingly, this is not an isolated incident. The family firm has faced this same threat for four consecutive years. Each time, the action was due to delayed company filings. Currently, the business is two months late submitting its 2024 accounts. Furthermore, it was late filing its confirmation statement for the previous three years. These delays are technically criminal offences, though prosecutions are rare.
The company’s structure also raises questions. Mansfield Carpets (Contracts) Limited currently has no registered directors. Additionally, records show a county court judgment against the company for £497. This paints a picture of a business with persistent administrative problems.
Moreover, this is not the only related company. Mick Barton himself registered a similarly named business last year, Mansfield Carpets Limited. However, he resigned as a director after the local elections in May. His wife is now its sole director. Three other flooring businesses with “Mansfield” in the name, previously directed by Gail Barton, have all been dissolved.
This situation contrasts with Barton’s professional online profile. It notes his wife runs the flooring company he started. This is because local government now takes up most of his time. The profile adds he remains involved in estimating and surveying.
Council leader Barton recently gained national attention for another reason. In August, he barred the local newspaper, the Nottingham Post, from council communications. Consequently, the paper’s publisher warned of an “increasingly Trumpian approach” to the media.
The publisher, Reach, argued this trend is concerning for public accountability. “When journalists are blocked from doing their job, it’s not just a concern for the media – it’s a concern for the public,” said chief content officer David Higgerson. The Nottingham Post is now planning legal action, claiming the ban breaches its right to free expression. In response, the council has since reversed its decision and will resume providing the paper with press releases.
When contacted about his family firm and its repeated brush with a compulsory strike off, Mick Barton declined to comment. Similarly, Gail Barton did not respond to requests for comment. The ongoing issues with the business continue to draw attention to the council leader’s affairs outside of politics.
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