Reform say Ed Davey was ‘way off the mark’ in calling Luke Campbell ‘consistently useless’
The two parties continue to row ahead of the Hull local election in May(Image: Getty Images/PA)
Reform UK has hit back as a war of words between themselves and the Liberal Democrats continues in Hull. The party has responded after the Lib Dem leader, Sir Ed Davey, came out swinging for the former boxer, and Reform Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, Luke Campbell.
With Hull City Council‘s local elections just a few weeks away, Reform UK and the Lib Dems have entered a political row. The Lib Dems who currently run the council are looking to keep or build upon their majority of 1 whilst Reform UK hope to replicate their success in last year’s Mayoral election and secure their first councillors in the Guildhall. A full list of candidates running in the upcoming election can be viewed here.
The row kicked off after the Reform leader, Nigel Farage, stood on stage at Hull’s Connexin Live and accused the local councils of ‘obstructing’ and ‘being against’ Mr Campbell during his first year as the region’s Mayor. The leader of Hull City Council, Lib Dem Cllr Mike Ross, was less than pleased by Mr Farage’s comments and has said the Reform leader should apologies as the comments were “an insult to so many people, both councillors and officers who have dedicated considerable time into trying to make it [the Combined Authority] work for the region.”
The row between the two parties heated up when the leader of the Lib Dems, Sir Ed Davey visited Hull on April 8. In response to a Reform UK comment which claimed Mr Farage was correct to identify “political blocks to progress” within the Combined Authority, and that Mr Campbell has been “consistent” in his willingness to work cross-party since his being elected, Sir Ed told Hull Live: “Luke Campbell has been consistent. Consistently useless. Consistently missing in action. Consistently not turning up to meetings with ministers. Consistently not turning up to meetings with local people. People are pretty angry with him.”
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Reform say that the Mayor has only missed a single national meeting, which was due to a family matter. A spokesperson from the party added: “Ed Davey’s comments are way off the mark and show he hasn’t got a clue what’s going on in Hull and East Yorkshire. Ed Davey doesn’t know the region, he doesn’t understand its struggles, and he hasn’t been part of the work to get things moving here like Luke Campbell does.
“People here don’t want political games, photo opportunities or cheap headlines. They want jobs, investment and real progress in their communities. That’s what Luke has been focused on and that’s what will count.”
19 seats are up for grabs on May 7. Hull City Council‘s current political weighting is as follows:
- 29 – Liberal Democrats
- 23 – Labour Party
- 5 – Independent
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