'Independent' former Reform councillor joins Farage on Clacton campaign trail days after resigning
Days after resigning the Reform whip, Cllr Joe Garner, who now sits as an ‘independent’ on North Northants Council (NNC), has joined Nigel Farage on the Clacton by-election campaign trail.
Representative for Thrapston Cllr Garner left the NNC Reform group on July 20 without making a public statement, leaving leader of North Northants Council Cllr Martin Griffiths to announce the departure and thank his former colleague for his ‘contribution’, wishing him ‘every success for the future’.
Ten days later Cllr Garner broke his public silence on social media, saying his “main ire was directed at Reform UK”, after a judicial review challenging a council decision to grant permission for a controversial warehouse development on fields near Thrapston was dismissed.
Taking to Facebook after the result, he said there was “little doubt which party will take the bulk of the flak over this disastrous development”.
He added: “All that will be remembered is that Reform UK pledged to fight mega-warehouse developments in Thrapston and they didn’t.
“Reform UK have handed the Tories a giant stick with which to beat them, and no doubt they will.
“Losing their one NNC councillor in Thrapston Ward is probably only the start of the price they will pay politically for their broken election pledge.”
But just two days after he slammed Reform UK, Cllr Garner shared a photo of Reform supporters waving ‘I’m with Nigel’ placards at a campaign event in the Clacton constituency – a grinning Nigel Farage arms outstretched at the front.
He wrote: “I’m in there somewhere but can you spot me? Lee Duffy (a Corby Reform councillor) and I got stuck right at the back as Nigel Farage didn’t want competition from two such good-looking male hunks, and who can blame him.” Adding the Reform UK Corby and East Northampsonshire branch board could be just made out at the back.
It is believed Cllr Garner remains a member of the Reform UK Corby and East Northamptonshire branch, a branch he helped set up.
Two other colleagues did manage to get their faces in the picture – Cllr Barry Lumsden and Cllr Frank Kilgallon, both from the Oakley ward.
One resident in the Thrapston ward said they were surprised by Cllr Garner’s actions.
They said: “It’s an interesting interpretation of the word ‘independent’. I’m surprised Reform would want anything to do with him.”
Cllr David Brakenbury (Con/Thrapston) said he knew Cllr Garner had strong opinions about the warehouse issue.
He said: “I’ve had a conversation with him since he stepped down. We are ward colleagues and we get on.
“For his own reasons Cllr Garner stepped down – the warehouses were quite problematic. He decided to resign the Reform whip.
“If he wants to go down to Clacton he can, he’s an independent therefore he can do anything he wants.
“But it makes you wonder why – the major rival is a man with a bin on his head. It’s a bit sort of peculiar.”
NNC Reform UK group’s spokesman said: “We can confirm that Joe Garner is no longer a member of Reform UK.”
Cllr Garner and Reform UK head office has been contacted for a statement.