Labour councillor defects to Reform UK

Mason Humberstone said he had "not left the Labour party. Labour has left us"

A Labour councillor has defected to Reform UK after expressing concerns about the party's vision.

In a Reform UK statement, Stevenage Borough councillor Mason Humberstone, who has represented Old Town ward since his election in 2023, said: "I have not left the Labour Party, Labour has left us."

Reform UK said it was "delighted" to have him join the party - giving it its only councillor at Stevenage.

The Labour leader of the council, Richard Henry, said Humberstone should "do the right thing and seek a new mandate from Old Town residents in a by-election". The BBC has approached Humberstone for further comment.

Humberstone's political career began while he was still at school, when he became a member of the Stevenage Youth Council and unsuccessfully ran to be the borough's youth mayor.

He did win the election to be Stevenage's first Youth MP in 2016, and has been the BAME officer for the Labour Students organisation since last year.

He won the Old Town seat for Labour in 2023 with 663 votes.

In the statement issued by Reform UK, Humberstone said: "The party I joined is lost, without vision, and I no longer know who it is working for — too often it serves a metropolitan elite disconnected from the realities of the people it is meant to represent.

"Reform is the only party capable of delivering the change we need and of finally putting our nation and the British people first."

The Stevenage MP Kevin Bonavia said Mason Humberstone should resign and contest the seat as a Reform UK candidate in a by-election

The Labour MP for Stevenage, Kevin Bonavia, said: "I am deeply disappointed in councillor Humberstone for defecting to another party who thrive on fear and division and have no practical solutions for our country's future.

"If he wants to continue to represent residents here with a different political party he should do the right thing by resigning as a councillor and seeking a new mandate in another election."

Council leader Henry said he had "made every attempt, above and beyond what would be considered reasonable, to accommodate and mentor councillor Humberstone as he brought many challenges to the table in terms of his attendance, punctuality, adherence to commitments, dedication to the role and much more".

He added that Humberstone should "do the right thing and seek a new mandate from Old Town residents in a by-election".

• Chris Mason: Reform UK amplifies jitters for Labour and Conservatives

The political make-up of Stevenage Borough Council is currently:

• Labour - 30 seats

• Liberal Democrat - six seats

• Conservative - one seat

• Reform UK - one seat