Reform UK in Plymouth has been plunged into a major crisis amid a bitter internal revolt and a resignation over the direction of the party.
Councillor Carol Ney resigned from Reform UK on Friday evening (7 August), saying she was “unable to support the direction of the party”.
Cllr Ney was initially elected to Southway ward as a Labour councillor in 2023 before resigning from Labour in 2025.
She then sat on Plymouth City Council as an independent councillor before joining Reform UK on 17 April 2026.
Now, less than four months later, she is once again sitting as an independent councillor after resigning from Reform.
It comes amid a growing list of disputes involving the group leader, Councillor Steve Ricketts (Reform UK, Drake).
The group is divided over the handling of a controversial social media comment, Local Government Reorganisation, and the appointment of a new deputy leader.
One of the most serious disputes surrounds the conduct of Councillor Vanessa Tyler (Reform UK, Plympton St. Mary).
Cllr Tyler commented on a Facebook post which claimed Poland had passed legislation allowing border guards to “open fire on illegal migrants if they attempt to forcefully cross”.
She wrote: “This is what Reform and Restore would do if they get in... Do you not care about our country?”
Members of the group have told Plymouth Plus that they were unhappy with the way the matter was handled and claim Cllr Ricketts refused to reprimand Cllr Tyler.
They further alleged that Cllr Ricketts told them he backed Cllr Tyler “100%” and that members needed to “get behind her”.
Plymouth Plus asked Cllr Ricketts whether he agreed with the position expressed in Cllr Tyler's comment, whether he had told councillors he backed her “100%” and why no suspension had taken place.
He did not directly confirm whether he agreed with the position expressed in the comment or whether he had made the alleged “100%” comment.
Cllr Ricketts said: “Cllr Vanessa Tyler deleted her post and privately apologised to the group. We believe in second chances and felt that no further action needed to be taken.”
The controversy comes as Cllr Ricketts also faces a growing rebellion over Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).
Cllr Ricketts was elected as an independent councillor for Drake in 2023 and, under the existing arrangements, would be due to face re-election in 2027 if LGR had not been implemented.
However, members of his own group have claimed that Cllr Ricketts has made it clear that he does not intend to seek re-election in Drake because of concerns that he could lose the seat.
They claim that he told them he would instead seek to become a Reform candidate in a stronger ward.
Reform UK failed to win Drake at the 2026 local elections, with the ward instead being won by the Green Party.
Reform UK councillors have also accused Cllr Ricketts of performing a U-turn on LGR. On 17 July, Cllr Ricketts publicly posted that he opposed LGR because it was “a waste of time and money”.
But he went on to say: “It's happening now so we have to make the best of it and do the best we can for the residents of the new areas that are coming in.”
Plymouth Plus understands that no vote had been taken by the Reform group before Cllr Ricketts made a statement on its position.
Members subsequently forced the issue to a vote at the latest branch meeting.
Plymouth Plus understands members voted in favour of the branch contacting Reform UK HQ to ask for assistance over a potential judicial review of LGR.
The sequence of events has exposed a clear difference between Cllr Ricketts's public message that Reform should now “make the best” of LGR and members of his own party who want Reform UK HQ to assist with a judicial review against it.
Cllr Ricketts strongly rejected suggestions that he had changed his position. He said:
“My record on local government reorganisation has never changed. I am on record as voting against LGR at full council, but if the Labour-led council and central government are adamant on forcing LGR on the people of Plymouth then the Reform group will do what we can to make the best of a bad situation.
“That does not mean I endorse LGR in the slightest. This is completely in line with national Reform UK policy.”
Cllr Ricketts did not directly address whether his July statement had been made without the Reform group first voting on its position.
On whether Reform UK would pursue a judicial review, he said the Plymouth group did not have the resources to launch one itself. He added:
“Without the resources that come with running a council, launching a judicial review would be impossible. Reform-led councils are already proceeding with a JR and I wholeheartedly back their efforts.
“If we had control of Plymouth City Council we would have sought to do the same.”
Cllr Ricketts has also firmly rejected claims from members of his group about his political future in Drake.
He said: “I am fully committed to Drake ward, which I have represented for 20 years. These rumours are pure speculation.”
However, his response did not explicitly state that he intends to stand as a Reform candidate in Drake at the next election.
The internal turmoil has also spread to the position Cllr Ney previously held as deputy leader.
Following her departure, Cllr Ricketts appointed Councillor Chris Sharpe (Reform UK, Efford and Lipson) as her replacement without first holding a vote of the group's councillors.
Members of the group have claimed that Cllr Ricketts described the appointment as his “gift as the leader”.
Cllr Ricketts said Cllr Sharpe had only been appointed temporarily and that members would ultimately have their say.
He said: “Cllr Chris Sharpe has been appointed deputy leader to fill the vacant position in the interim.
“At the next constitutional group meeting which will take place in due course there will be a free and fair vote on the deputy leader in which candidates will be able to nominate themselves, as per the Reform UK rules.”
Councillor Vanessa Tyler was also approached for comment but did not respond to our request.
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