Second Reform councillor leaves party in Devon

Both Ed Hill and Angie Nash were elected as Reform UK members but are no longer in the party

A Reform UK politician has quit the party to become an independent member on Devon County Council.

Angie Nash, who represents Wonford and St Loyes, said remaining in the party would "compromise my own principles".

Michael Fife Cook, the leader of Reform on Devon County Council, said some voters in Nash's constituency would feel "let down".

Nash is the second Reform councillor to leave the party since this year's election after Ed Hill, the Devon County Council member for Pinhoe and Mincinglake, was expelled from Reform in July.

'Integrity commitment'

The move means Reform - the second biggest party on Devon County Council - have now gone from holding 18 seats following the elections to 16 seats.

Nash said her decision had "not been made lightly".

She said: "Entering public life, I made a commitment to act with honesty, integrity and transparency...

"To remain under the Exeter Reform banner would be to compromise my own principles, and the trust placed in me by the people I represent."

Nash won her seat in the May elections with 950 votes - 107 more than her nearest rival, the Conservative candidate Anne Jobson.

Michael Fife Cook is the leader of the Reform UK group on Devon County Council

Michael Fife Cook, member for Yelverton Rural, who leads the Reform UK group on the county council, said he had been informed indirectly of Nash's decision.

He said he had written to Nash to say her decision to leave Reform could "annoy" some of those who voted for her.

"Some people will feel let down as people voted for Reform," he said.

"People did not vote for us, they voted for a party they hoped would do better so we shouldn't consider that we are the wonderful ones.

"If we step back from Reform and stay as councillors, that could annoy some people as it isn't what they voted for."