At Least Five Reform UK Councillors Linked to Facebook Group Tied to Far-Right Patriot Platform
Anti-fascist campaigners say councillors from Solihull, Gateshead and Kent were members of an online group connected to a movement involved in blockades at Dover and Portsmouth by masked activists.
At least five Reform UK councillors have been members of a Facebook group linked to a far-right movement involved in blockades of the ports of Dover and Portsmouth by masked men, according to anti-fascist campaigners.
The councillors, from Solihull, Gateshead and Kent, were reportedly part of an online group associated with the Patriot Platform, whose activities have drawn condemnation from politicians across the political spectrum, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
According to the report, Farage's party has been dealing with internal divisions over its position on the Patriot Platform group. The group has been linked to balaclava-clad activists who took part in blockades at the two English port cities.
Details of which specific councillors were named, the size or purpose of the Facebook group, and the exact nature of their involvement were not fully specified in available reporting. The Guardian's report attributes the findings to anti-fascist campaigners who identified the councillors' membership in the online group.
Reform UK has not yet issued a detailed public response addressing the individual councillors named in connection with the group, according to available information.
The disclosure adds to ongoing scrutiny of Reform UK's internal handling of members' associations with far-right movements, as the party navigates its public stance following the port blockades attributed to the Patriot Platform.
Sources
- At least five Reform councillors joined Facebook group linked to far-right Patriot Platform — The Guardian — Politics
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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