Reform UK is standing by its Leicestershire council candidate Elliott Allman despite calls from local Conservatives to suspend him over a racist Facebook post from 2013. The controversy has ignited a political firestorm in the run-up to May’s local elections.
The disputed post, recently resurfaced online, saw Allman then a Conservative district councillor making sweeping generalizations about black drivers on the M1. Now representing Reform UK in Coalville North, Allman addressed the criticism by stating the post demonstrated his personal growth, saying: “It reminds me of how far I’ve come.”
The row intensified when alleged WhatsApp messages from Reform UK’s local branch group chat were leaked, including one suggesting Allman could counter criticism by posing with a black friend. Leicestershire Conservatives swiftly condemned the messages, submitting a formal complaint and demanding Allman’s suspension pending investigation into what they called “apparent widespread racism” within Reform’s local ranks.
Reform UK leadership has circled the wagons around their candidate, emphasizing the 12-year gap since the original post. “We are confident that he and his views have matured and changed since,” a party spokesperson stated. The defense comes despite party leader Nigel Farage’s September pledge to vet local election candidates more rigorously following controversies during last year’s general election campaign.
Allman remains on the ballot for the May 1st county council election, facing opponents from Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens. The controversy has cast a spotlight on candidate scrutiny in local elections, with Reform UK’s handling of the situation likely to face continued scrutiny in the campaign’s final weeks.
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