Call for by-election as councillor quits Reform

A Reform UK councillor on Bradford Council has left the party to stand as an independent.

Bolton and Undercliffe councillor Jon Barras was elected to the ward in May 2026 alongside Labour candidates Suhail Choudry and Md Zafar Niaz.

Barras said while he supported the party nationally, he was stepping down because of calls to remove Bradford's City of Sanctuary status and give more education funding to white working class boys.

Reform group leader and Bradford Council boss Stephen Place called for the councillor to resign his seat and for a by-election to be held in the ward, but Barras said he would not step down.

Place said: "Less than six months ago, Councillor Barras was elected on a Reform platform.

"Residents in Bolton and Undercliffe should have the opportunity to elect a hard-working Reform councillor to help us continue delivering the change which our district desperately needs and demands."

Barras asked Reform voters to "give me a chance".

"I have no intention of calling a by-election," he stated.

"You have to look at the examples of the defections from Conservatives and other parties at the higher levels of Reform.

"Why should I be called out at a lower level?"

He also said he had experienced "systemic bullying" from the local leadership.

Barras added: "The final straw had to be the two motions that came up at this past council meeting over the sanctuary status and providing extra funding to white working class only.

"I've been a school governor before for seven years. I cannot care less what colour you are, every child should have the same opportunities."

Bradford Council voted to carry out a district-wide review of underachievement among white working-class children, particularly boys, at Wednesday's council meeting.

At the same meeting, a Reform motion to withdraw Bradford from its City of Sanctuary status was defeated by one vote.

A spokesperson for Bradford Council Reform group said: "We are disappointed to learn of these complaints from Councillor Barras, as he has never shared his concerns with our group before.

"Regarding our group motions at the recent Bradford Council meeting, Councillor Barras did not raise any concerns or objections before these were submitted.

"Indeed, he did not attend the council meeting to vote against them either."

Barras, who was previously a member of UKIP, said he had joined Reform because of concerns the Conservatives had "messed up Brexit", however he said he had no intention of joining another major party.

"I have no intention of joining Labour, but I am arranging meetings with them to see if we can actually work together," he explained.

"I'm definitely making a change to how I perform as a councillor."

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