Change afoot in local politics as Reform group is formed on Oxfordshire County Council

Two councillors – one Conservative and one independent (formerly Conservative) – have defected to a new Reform group. They are Cllr Felix Bloomfield (Benson & Cholsey) and Cllr Kevin Bulmer (Goring).

Reform UK say they plan to have candidates in every seat up for election this year across the county ahead of the local elections on May 1.

Mr Bulmer, who is now deputy leader of the council’s Reform group, said he decided to join the party in February.

He said: “I’ve joined Reform because I think they are closer to what the Conservative Party used to be many years ago.

“This is their first election where they are starting to field many more candidates in local elections.”

He added: “Locally, I have been surprised by how many people I know have joined Reform or actually are supporters of Reform.

“As far of the rest of Oxfordshire, I do not know enough about the other places, but I have reason to suspect that this is the same across the county.”

He was elected as a Conservative councillor in 2013 but left the party in May last year after he was criticised for retweeting a post from the Britain First party.

Reform UK has a total of 113 council seats across the country, with 98 of them being from defections, the majority of which were from the Conservative party.

Nominations for candidates in the local elections close on April 5.