Further insights into Reform UK’s approach to the borough elections on 7 May are provided by an email message to supporters, in which the party announces that it has created an “application portal” for “paper candidates”. A “paper candidate” is one who puts their name forward for election despite having no hope of winning in order that local people nonetheless have the option of voting for the party he or she represents.
In the email, which is headed “Stand Up to Sadiq” and been seen by On London, Richard Bingley (pictured, from 2022), the former Conservative leader of Plymouth City Council who is now Reform’s regional director for London, says “we still need local council candidates in Hackney and Islington” (below) and claims that “If we do not have these candidates, Sadiq Khan’s colleagues on Hackney and Islington councils will win on May 7th without having to lift a finger”.
This understates the task facing Khan’s fellow Labour politicians to stay in power in those two boroughs, where the Green Party, in alliance with hard-Left Independents, is mounting strong challenges. Hackney Labour in particular appears vulnerable, with both the borough’s mayoralty and a council majority potentially within the Greens’ grasp.
Bingley urges anyone interested to “contact me now, if you can help us by being a ‘paper candidate’. The application form literally takes 60 seconds to complete”. His email also says “every seat needs to be filled” – slightly confusing wording, given that Reform has previously committed only to having a candidate in every London ward, most of which return three candidates to sit as councillors.
It seems likely, though not known by On London at this stage, that similar emails have been sent to Reform supporters in other boroughs where the party has negligible support, which is the case in many inner London areas. Soliciting paper candidates is not unusual among political parties and in London is unlikely to be confined to Reform.
The striking thing about Bingley’s message is that it directly targets Sir Sadiq Khan, who, as Mayor of London, is not a borough elections candidate.
This in keeping with Reform leader Nigel Farage saying in January that his party intended to make the borough elections a “referendum” on the direction he claims the capital is taking and Westminster ex-Tory councillor Laila Cunningham, announced as Reform’s mayoral candidate for 2028, saying at the same event that 7 May would be a chance for Londoners to “vote out every councillor who’s propped him [Khan] up”. The Mayor does not depend on borough councillors to stay in office.
This latest Reform appeal for candidates follows the party taking out a full-page ad in the Metro newspaper earlier this month appealing for people to “stand and represent their local community on May 7th” and a previous email from Bingley tailored for residents of particular boroughs. The deadline for borough candidate nominations is 4pm on 9 April.
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We really need a Reform Candidate in Islington, as does Hackney. I’m in Islington and refuse to vote for Labour or The Green Party.