New Sunderland Reform UK councillor under investigation over alleged comments about Nigerians
Glenn Gibbins was elected to serve Sunderland City Council’s Hylton Castle ward last Friday afternoon after finishing ahead of nine other candidates by attracting 1,295 votes.
He is one of 58 new Reform UK councillors on the 75-seat council after Labour lost control of the authority for the first time since its creation in 1974.
Advertisement
It has now emerged that Councillor Gibbins is under investigation by his party over an alleged social media post from 2024 – now deleted – in which he is said to have complained about the “amount of Nigerians in town”.
The deputy leader of Durham County Council, Cllr Darren Grimes, initially said over the weekend that Cllr Gibbins had been suspended from the party pending an inquiry.
But a Reform UK spokesman later revealed the investigation was still ongoing and no decision had been made yet.
Richard Tice, the party’s deputy leader, refused to criticise Cllr Gibbins when quizzed about the matter on BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme.
Advertisement
But he added: “I condemn everything that is wrong and inappropriate.”
Cllr Gibbins’s alleged remarks, however, have been condemned by other political parties.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, the Houghton and Sunderland South MP, said the case was an example of “the kind of racism and division” Reform brought to politics
A Labour Party spokesperson added: “And it speaks volumes that Nigel Farage refused to sack him as a candidate and is now happy to have him represent Reform as a councillor.”
Advertisement
Cllr Paul Edgeworth, the leader of the Liberal Democrats on Sunderland City Council, said on Sunday: “We are less than 48 hours into Reform’s rule and they are already in chaos.
“These are shocking and disgusting allegations that could have been picked up by proper vetting.”
He added: “Wearside’s Liberal Democrats will continue to hold the council to account and to ensure that the new administration delivers change for everyone in Sunderland, whether you’re born here or whether you’ve chosen to make Wearside home.”
