Cllr Lawrence Davies, who represents Rodbourne Cheney on Swindon Borough Council, announced on Thursday that he was leaving the party after losing confidence in how it was being run.
But Reform UK claims the councillor had already been suspended at 11.33am on Wednesday 26 August following the criminal charges.
A Wiltshire Police charge sheet confirms that Cllr Davies faces four offences relating to an alleged incident on Kingsdown Road, Swindon, on 13th April. They have confirmed the charges.
He has been charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop after a road accident, failing to report a road accident and using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance.
The document states that Cllr Davies was arrested on 21st April.
He was later elected as one of two Reform UK councillors for Rodbourne Cheney on 7th May, topping the poll with 828 votes.
Reform UK says his suspension followed the charges and that it understands he is due to appear in court in September.
An interview conducted with Cllr Davies after the first full council meeting earlier this year.
A Reform UK spokesman said:
“These are false accusations made by an individual who has a track record for dishonesty.
“The reality is that Cllr Davies was suspended from Reform UK yesterday after he was charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop, failing to report and driving without insurance. We understand that he is due to appear in court in September.”
The statement came after Cllr Davies made a series of allegations about the way Reform UK and its Swindon group were being managed.
He claimed councillors were told “how to vote and what to say”, while questions and speeches were rewritten using AI. He also alleged that he had been threatened with the party whip.
Reform UK strongly denies his claims and maintains that he was suspended before announcing his departure. The party has also made allegations about separate criminal investigations which it claims were ongoing while Cllr Davies was standing as a candidate.
The Reform UK spokesman said:
“He was being investigated…He did not declare this to us.”
Cllr Davies presented his departure on Thursday as a resignation prompted by concerns about the governance of Reform UK and its Swindon group.
Reform UK maintains that it had suspended him at 11.33am the previous day. He is the first of the 14 Reform UK councillors elected to Swindon Borough Council in May to leave the party.
The charges against Cllr Davies have not been proven and the allegations will be determined by the courts.
Cllr Davies has been approached for comment on Reform UK’s statement, including the claim that he was suspended before announcing his departure and the allegations concerning separate investigations.
More to follow.
