Farage pledges ‘total culture shift’ as he launches Reform UK local election campaign

Nigel Farage is set to officially launch Reform UK’s local election campaign, promising to “breathe new life into English councils across the UK”.

The party leader will officially launch the campaign for the May 7 election at an event in Sunderland on Thursday, following a series of rallies across the country in recent weeks.

He is expected to highlight achievements in local governments currently under Reform control, arguing that voters are “already seeing a difference on the ground”.

Ahead of the rally, Mr Farage said Reform had delivered “a total culture change in local government, breaking down established consensus and finally putting residents first”.

He added: “Where the old parties have failed and left a trail of broken councils in their wake, Reformation will breathe new life into English councils across the UK.”

At the heart of his presentation will be the claim that Reform has identified savings of £700 million across 12 councils, with Mr Farage claiming this has been delivered “without touching frontline services”.

In November last year Reform revealed its councils had saved £331 million.

Reform continues to lead the polls and is expected to perform well in May, adding to the 677 council seats it won in last year’s local elections.

But claims of significant savings were rejected by opposition councillors, while Labor pointed out the closure of care homes and adult education services in Reform-run Derbyshire.

Labor also criticized Reform for increasing council tax despite promising to reduce it before last year’s local elections.

Reform now says council tax rises in authorities where it has majority control are on average lower than those run by Labour, the Conservatives or the Liberal Democrats, and describes the below-inflation rises in some councils as a “real term tax cut”.

But this does not include Worcestershire, where Reform runs a minority government and raised council tax by 9 per cent this year.

Labor leader Anna Turley said: “The promises of reform are dashed the moment it comes to power.

“They said they would cut taxes and waste, but council after council they are increasing council tax and cutting services.”