On the same day that the UK dealt with the aftermath of white riots targeting people of colour, Reform UK reinstated the councillor who suggested ‘melting Nigerians to fill potholes‘.
It’s a sign that the party doesn’t take racial justice seriously. Worse than that, it’s a sign that the party is actively pursuing an agenda of racial injustice.
Glenn Gibbins, who said Nigerians should be melted down to fill in the pot holes, has won a seat. pic.twitter.com/mJjkK3KbbN
— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) May 9, 2026
Weasel words from Reform
In May 2025, Glenn Gibbins was elected in the Sunderland City’s Hylton Castle ward. He was immediately suspended, however, after unearthed social media comments like the above surfaced. Other comments included:
What’s obvious from these comments is that Gibbins isn’t just a hateful and bigoted little man; he’s also the sort of person who doesn’t inspire confidence in regards to his ability to think. In other words, he’s not someone you’d want holding power in your local area even if you agreed with his rancid opinions.
With the final comment, Gibbins is essentially calling for a race war against Muslims. And much like many other far-right politicians and agitators this week, he did so by pointing to the crimes of individuals to target the entire population:
It's out of control, and there's no political leadership. Why isn't the Prime Minister speaking out against the twisted logic that blames people, entirely unconnected with the crime, solely based on the colour of their skin?
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) June 10, 2026
Blaming every member of a group for the crimes of individuals is known as ‘collective punishment’. It’s prohibited under the Geneva Convention, because we saw what happens when its allowed to happen unchecked in the 20th century. And now we’re seeing it again:
“What you’re seeing is a race based pogrom, we are seeing men going door to door asking to 'get the foreigners out' based exclusively on the colour of their skin.”
SDLP leader Claire Hannah criticises the unrest taking place in Belfast.#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/jBNM7tWg7U
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) June 9, 2026
The BBC reported the following on Reform’s decision to readmit Gibbins:
Reform UK said following an internal disciplinary process the councillor had now been readmitted to the party with a final written warning.
A spokesperson said: “He has apologised for making the post and accepts that it was made in extremely poor taste showing poor judgement.” Gibbins has been approached for comment.
Has Gibbins learned his lesson, though? Or has Reform simply decided it isn’t even going to pretend to care anymore?
As I've said before, there is a calculated reason Reform have failed to clearly and specifically condemn the Southampton and Belfast violence. It's because they want to send the signal they are more hard-line on immigration than Restore. It's not accidental. It's a strategy.
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) June 10, 2026
A pattern
It doesn’t end with Gibbins. As Reform Party UK Exposed reported (emphasis added):
Reform UK Sunderland has a problem.
Councillor David Laing
Former BNP candidate who lied when asked about his previous politics.
No action taken.
–
Councillor Glenn Gibbons
Said Nigerians should be melted down to fill potholes.
Reform UK have readmitted him.
–
Councillor David Barker
Neglected his children and had them taken away by social services. Harassed social services creating a website to harass people protecting children.
No action taken.
–
Councillor Michael Quigley
He spent Christmas Day this year proposing putting elephants on Dover beaches to shit on immigrants. Utterly deranged.
No action taken.
–
Councillor Axel Tye
Shared anti-Semitic post on Facebook.
No action taken
And this is just one council.
As such, it seems the reason Reform isn’t binning councillors for racism is because if it did it would have no councillors left.
Featured image via Carl Court / Getty Images
By Willem Moore
