The Conservative leader in Brighton and Hove has joined Reform UK, he said today (Monday 8 September).
Steve Bell, who led the Conservative group on Brighton and Hove City Council from 2019 to 2023, said: “After 58 years of supporting the Conservatives, I have now joined Reform.
“People often ask me why I’ve left the party but the answer is simple: I haven’t changed – they have.
“My beliefs and principles remain the same but the Conservatives have abandoned theirs.
“They have drifted from being Conservatives under Thatcher, to Tories under Cameron, to Whigs under Badenoch.
“A party that once stood for low taxes, small government and individual responsibility has now become ‘Labour-lite’: big government, high taxes and little appetite for real change.
“Unless they rediscover their core values, I believe the Conservative Party will disappear after the next general election.”
Mr Bell, 70, is a retired construction worker and Company Sergeant Major in the Territorial Army (TA), who started out as a barrow boy in Woolwich, south east London.
He added: “Why Reform? Because they are the only true centre-right party in the UK.
“They stand for the principles that matter: true democracy, low taxes, small government, tougher action on crime, lower energy bills, an NHS that works for us, controlled immigration and an end to the boats crossing the Channel.
“As the other main parties continue to fail and disappoint, Reform represents hope, inspiration and belief in the future of our country.
“For the first time in many years, I feel a renewed spring in my step – because, finally, there is a party that puts the UK first.”
Mr Bell served as chairman of the Conservative Party in Sussex and then the south east and then as president of the party’s National Convention, sitting on the party’s board.
As a councillor, he represented Woodingdean ward on Brighton and Hove City Council from 2015 to 2023.
And in the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Mr Bell was recognised for his national political service when he was appointed a CBE – a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
Reform are “centre-right”..?
Steve advances a brave argument.
Reform are centre right? Try populist radical right. Can’t even get basic facts right, so maybe Reform is a great place for him.
Complains that Conservatives are moving centre right then justifies his move is because they aren’t centre right.
Saying about rats and sinking ship, comes to mind.
In what way is Reform “far right”? To express concern about immigration is not extremism, but an entirely legitimate political stance shared by millions across Britain. To question the scale, speed, and integration of migration is to engage in rational debate about the nation’s future, not to embrace hate. Branding Reform as “far right” is a lazy slur, used to shut down discussion rather than confront facts.
The term “far right” properly refers to movements that reject democracy, glorify authoritarian rule, and promote racial supremacy or violence. It denotes ideologies rooted in fascism or ethnonationalism, not simply parties or individuals who advocate lower immigration, national sovereignty, or cultural preservation. To conflate mainstream political positions with extremism is not only dishonest but dangerous: it trivialises the genuine threat of real far-right groups, such as Mosley’s Blackshirts in Britain or Golden Dawn in Greece, while attempting to delegitimise ordinary democratic debate.
Rejecting democracy – tick! Reform councils have banned local reporters from meetings and even scrapped legal committees in Kent/Notts. That’s not debate, that’s shutting down scrutiny.
Glorify authoritarian rule – tick! Farage cosies up to Trump, parrots his attacks on judges and civil servants, and bangs on about “civil disobedience” if migrants aren’t stopped. Straight out of the strongman playbook.
Racial supremacy & violence – tick! Reform have been egging on protests at refugee hotels. Look at Epping – smoke bombs, bottles thrown, “deport” chants. Police had to pile in. Even ministers are saying Reform’s rhetoric is fuelling the hate.
So yeah, while they aren’t fascists (your words, by the way!) they definitely tick most boxes to be considered far right. Be brave and call it what it is.
Fellow pupils are on record as saying Farage was openly racist at school, he marched with the NF as a young man (there are pictures) and shared a platform with the ADF as leader of Reform. British people call out a fraud when they see one and they fought and won to save this country from fascism. The most patriotic thing you can do is stand up to him and his nasty little gang of shysters.
Our own Labour Council often bans the press and public from council meetings. Spot the difference.
JamesK
Yes it does happen but only for specific, legal purposes and which are also declared that a meeting (or part of it) will be held in camera.
Reform have triedn to ban some local newspapers from even attending public meetings and not sendign them press releases
🤮
Hmmm… Reform endorsed by the Taliban, shutting the press out of press releases in Nottingham…Not sure that’s what traditional Conservatism is, but there we go.
May as well give them a go. They can hardly be worse than Labour and the Tories and by joining a new party he can help mold it. Even if all Reform does is break the Tory/Labour stranglehold on the nation for over a century, it’s a stranglehold which needs to be broken and is doing the nation no favours.
I believe that’s what the German people once did with National Socialism and look where that ended up.
I believe America did that with Trump, and look where that ended up.
May as well give them a go? Ludicrous. This isn’t like finding someone new to look after your cat when you’re away.
Greens or Labour please
Both love peace, immigration and being kind
So he has paid £25 and is on a mailing list. That’s news? He’s retired and has nothing to do with politics anymore. Rayner breaking the law abd Labour falling apart – that is news.
It symbolises a breakaway from someone who is seen as an experienced member of the party, which undermines the confidence others will have in the Conservative Party in the future. It speaks to a party fallen from grace, into irrelevancy.
Is this the end of Bell or…… ?