Wednesday 13 November 2024
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Mansfield: Three Independent councillors defect to Reform UK

Mansfield – Three Mansfield Independent councillors have defected to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in a bid to give the trio “more teeth”, the group’s leader has said.

Cllr Mick Barton, who represents the Forest Town ward and was leader of the Mansfield Independents Group, says he has defected alongside fellow Forest Town councillor Martin Wright, and Cllr Barry Answer, who represents Rufford.

Mansfield District Council’s political leadership has been in a tug-of-war between Labour and the Mansfield Independent Group for more than a decade.

The group regained control of the council in 2015, having lost it to Labour in 2011 – despite managing to keep its executive mayor at the time.

Screenshot 2024 10 25 at 15.57.45
Cllr Mick Barton, who represents the Forest Town ward and was leader of the Mansfield Independents Group, has defected alongside fellow Forest Town councillor, Martin Wright, and Cllr Barry Answer, for Rufford

In the 2019 election, the Mansfield Independents lost overall control of the council, and a Labour mayor was elected.

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However, the council was left with no overall control from any political party or group.

The situation for the group worsened in 2023 when it suffered a near-total wipeout, and Labour consequently took overall control of the authority.

Cllr Barton finished third in the mayoral poll, and the group’s numbers slumped from 13 councillors to four in the chamber.

He said: “We took a hiding in the last election,”

“I feel the time is right and Reform is going somewhere.

“I’m hoping we can get the Mansfield branch [of Reform] growing. It has 500 members already.”

Reform UK and its leader, Mr Farage previously stood as the figurehead of the UK Independence Party (UKIP).

Cllr Barton said that while he doesn’t totally agree with some things said by Reform UK’s leadership, the group decided to join because he agrees with many of the party’s ideas, including electoral reform.

In its 2024 manifesto, Reform UK called for a referendum on proportional representation (PR).

Proportional representation is not a voting system but the idea that seats in Parliament should reflect the proportion of votes cast. This can be achieved through systems other than ‘First Past the Post’ – the current system – which dictates that whichever candidate gets the most votes wins, even if more people overall did not vote for them because they opted for a range of other candidates.

In the 2024 General Election, Labour won 63 per cent of seats with just under 34 per cent of all votes nationwide, while the Green Party and Reform UK won nine seats between them, or just over one per cent, with a combined share of 21 per cent.

“It’s a fairer way of doing it,” Cllr Barton added.

Supporters of First Past the Post point out that it means MPs serve the constituency they campaign in, making them more inclined to tackle important local issues.

Cllr Barton added: “The national picture is control of borders, which we would want, but it is more about the local picture for us because I do not have a say in [national].

“I want to make sure residents are heard. We are joining a national party so we’ve got more teeth.

“I’ve chosen to move now because I did not want to move when we had control of the council.

“Reform, I think, is going to be one of the biggest parties in the country. A lot of residents say more power to the elbow.”

Ashfield MP Lee Anderson said:

“I am delighted that Mick, Barry, and Martin have decided to get on board with the people’s army,” Mr Anderson added in a statement.

“Councillors from all over the country are joining us because they know that Reform UK is the only party that is taking the fight to Labour and Keir Starmer.”

Just this week, Mr Farage wrote to every Conservative councillor seeking re-election, asking them to defect to his party.

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