Oldham trio’s Reform defection a ‘sign of coming wave’

Three of the borough’s councillors have joined the growing cohort of Greater Manchester representatives making the jump to Nigel Farage’s party in anticipation of May’s local elections, demonstrating the movement’s nationwide momentum.

Ex-Conservative Cllr Lewis Quigg of Royton North, a member of Oldham Council’s place, economic growth, and environment scrutiny board, is perhaps the highest-profile defection.

Failsworth West independents Cllr Mark Wilkinson and Cllr Sandra Ball have also joined the light blue party.

The three latest arrivals bring Reform’s tally of Greater Manchester councillors up to six.

Rochdale Council’s Cllr Jordan Tarrant-Short and Cllr John Taylor joined the party after Cllr Allan Hopwood of Tameside became the city region’s first Reform representative in April 2025.

The defections also come as Danny Kruger, MP for East Wiltshire, announced he would leave the Conservatives for Reform.

Rochdale’s Quigg said: “We have all been betrayed. Oldham needs leadership that puts people first. This is why I am joining Reform.

“For far too long, difficult truths have been ignored while ordinary families have been left behind. Instead of fighting for the people of Oldham, the opposition parties have colluded with Labour.

“We must restore power to the people who built this nation. Confront challenges with courage. Speak honestly about what needs to change. And most of all, we must deliver real results that matter to the people who call this nation their home.”

Cllr Wilkinson told Place North West: “I felt being an independent has lost credibility. Come the next elections, people might think to themselves, what’s the use in joining the independents if all they’re going to do is link up with Labour?

“I’ve moved across to Reform because I agree with a lot of things they do and say.”

The defections are emblematic of a wider national surge for the Reform Party and the clearest indication yet that the light blue wave is coming for GM.

“We’re going to be seeing a lot more Reform counsellors elected in GM in May”, said Kevin Whitmore, head of North & Midlands at political and public affairs consultancy Cavendish Consulting.

“If you look at the polling of Reform in the North West, they’re currently winning just over 30% of the vote – a couple of points ahead of Labour.”

He added that most Conservative councillors will be considering the move to be on the right side of the electorate by the next round of local elections.

“If you are of the political right and you’re up for re-election next year, and you want to win, it’s quite sensible to go to Reform,” said Whitmore.

The movement of two independent councillors to Reform indicates that the unaligned are also wary of a potential Reform candidate sweeping into their seat. However, both independents Cllr Wilkinson and Cllr Ball have more than two years left before they are up for re-election.

The timing of the rise in defections to Reform is no coincidence. Each autumn, parties begin thinking about selecting candidates and preparing for elections. Councillors may also consider defecting or whether they’re going to stand again.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more defections to Reform between now and Christmas”, Whitmore said.

“I would imagine they are the start of the wave that’s hitting places like Oldham, Rochdale, and soon Wigan, but also many of the other parts of GM as well.”

Due to elections in GM councils occurring in thirds, Reform leading councils by next year is unlikely. Instead, councils with a large Reform contingent could become common.

Whitmore said: “In May next year, then we’re going to see sizeable Reform groups in or running local authorities, not just in GM, but across the North.

“That means they’ll have positions on planning committees, they’re going to have votes and be around the table when it comes to things like planning. So at the very least, there’s going to be disruption.”

Key industry policies set out in Reform’s ‘Our Contract with You’ include fast-track planning with tax incentives for the development of brownfield sites, and incentivising the use of modular construction and digital technology in construction.

For the built environment, Reform’s rise will require adjusted communication, increased reliance on relationships with officers, and the forging of fresh relationships with newly elected representatives.

“The sector will have to think about how it engages with Reform and how it talks about what it wants to do – it will need to be prepared to frame the benefits of what they do,” added Whitmore.

This is particularly critical for projects that could be tied into Reform’s nationwide disdain for green technology and what it considers wasteful spending.

Instead of highlighting sustainability benefits, developers will need to frame their projects as beneficial to communities, providing jobs and energy security.

Stakeholders should prepare to lean into and grow relationships with officers, as it will be the officers who will have to help manage a more disparate local government landscape.

The fresh cohort of representatives does bring some advantages. While Reform comes across as a party with a plan set in stone, newcomers could be more receptive to private sector investment and what it could bring to their areas.

Whitmore said: “This is something people have got to get to grips with across the North. But we’ve seen from authorities where Reform is in control that they’re quite open to engagement with the private sector and understanding more about it, what drives it, and what the challenges are.”