Reform spokesperson is 'destroyed' in car crash Newsnight interview as councillor row exposes party rules chaos

From the Newshound archive · first published 10 October 2026.

A Reform UK spokesperson faced a bruising grilling on Newsnight just hours after the party was caught admitting that an Oldham councillor's breach of its own membership rules was a mere 'oversight'. The double blow lands on the same day, piling pressure on Farage's operation over its vetting and discipline standards.

Paul Taylor, elected as a Reform councillor in May, was simultaneously registered with the Electoral Commission as leader of his own rival party, Northern Heart.

Reform's rules explicitly bar members of other GB-registered parties, yet Taylor stood under Reform's banner and won 1,459 votes before anyone noticed.

Reform says Taylor is now resigning from Northern Heart, but Taylor has reportedly said the party had been aware of his dual role all along.