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23
May
Harrogate and Knaresborough Reform candidate replaced after internal 'bust-up'
Reform UK replaced its candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough after an internal row over some of his social media comments.
Richard Brown was named as the party's parliamentary candidate in August last year.
But he was one of eight nationwide candidates described as ‘unsavoury rogues’ in a Mail on Sunday investigation in March.
The article claimed Mr Brown “made misogynistic remarks about Labour MP Jess Phillips" and shared false claims that doctors refused to treat Boris Johnson on the basis that he didn’t have covid.
Reform UK initially stood by Mr Brown but he was eventually replaced by John Swales, who stood for the party in last month's Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election.
The two men were friends but speaking to the Stray Ferret today, Mr Brown said they had a "big bust-up two or three weeks ago" and he "didn't want to see the bugger again".
He claimed he was "sacked without justification" and described the Reform UK leadership as "incompetent", adding:
Mr Brown said he and some other former Reform candidates and supporters had formed a movement called Restore GB, which had similar policies to Reform but "without the baggage". He added:
Mr Brown said he was trying to register the organisation in time to stand as a candidate in Harrogate and Knaresborough at the general election on July 4.
He said he founded Reform's party in Harrogate in February last year and had built it up to have hundreds of supporters, adding:
The Stray Ferret contacted Mr Swales about Mr Brown's comments.
He replied:
He added:
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