Reform UK has unveiled a new leadership team in Swindon as the party seeks to reset its local image ahead of the upcoming elections.
The change follows the departure of former chair Kirt Wakefield, with Sara Godwin now leading the party locally as chair and Luke Bennett serving as deputy chair.
While the tone may have shifted, questions remain about experience, policy detail and how their ambitions would translate into running a council facing major financial and operational pressures.
In an exclusive interview with Swindon 24, the pair outlined plans to establish Reform as a significant presence on Swindon Borough Council.
Bennett said the decision to step forward was driven by frustration with the current political landscape.
“We’ve all just had enough, really. You can moan about it on Facebook, but actually do something about it,” he said.
Both candidates emphasised that they are not career politicians, presenting that as a strength.
“I’ve never been involved in politics before in my life,” Bennett said.
Godwin highlighted the breadth of candidates standing for the party across the borough.
“We’ve got 57 people. We’ve got people from all walks of life, ex-police, people that used to work for the council, project managers, people from finance, CEOs, doctors. It’s just bringing everyone together,” she said.
This “ordinary people” positioning will likely resonate with voters frustrated by traditional politics, it also raises questions about the level of experience required to run a large and complex local authority.
With all council seats up for election, Reform is fielding candidates in every ward. Both leaders stressed that their campaign would centre on local, day to day issues rather than national political debates.
“Local politics is your day to day. It’s your roads that you drive on, it’s when your bins are collected,” Bennett said.
They said residents have repeatedly raised concerns about potholes, road conditions, public safety and the appearance of the town centre.
“We don’t just want to get them fixed, we want a longer term solution. We don’t want to just put a plaster on things, we want to make sure it’s completely fixed,” Godwin said.
The party also addressed the council’s financial position, with Swindon continuing to face budget pressures.
“We’re going to literally rip out the council finances from the very back to the very front and find out if there are savings that can be found. If there are savings, we’ll find them,” Bennett said.
Godwin argued that inefficiencies are likely to exist, comparing the council to a business that should be constantly reviewing its spending.
“If you looked at it as a business, you’d be silly to think there’s no wastage,” she said.
They said transparency would be central to their approach, but beyond committing to independent auditors, there was little detail on where savings might realistically be found, or what trade-offs would be required if they are not.
On development, Bennett raised concerns about the pace of housing growth and the pressure on infrastructure.
“You’ve got developments popping up left, right and centre, but the infrastructure there, the doctors surgeries, the roads, for example, the A419… you can’t get out onto it at rush hour,” he said.
Turning to the town centre, Godwin said immediate improvements should come before larger regeneration schemes.
“I think we need to look at first making it clean, making it safe, doing the shorter term things first, making it more accessible” she said.
Bennett said the party would seek closer engagement with businesses, including on parking.
“We will go out, we will revise, and we will reach out to the businesses, find out what they need from us, because they’re there daily, they know it best,” he said.
Godwin also expressed reservations about the current direction of town centre development.
“Personally, I don’t think it is the right approach for what we stand for,” she said.
Godwin said residents should have a greater say in spending decisions.
“It’s the people of Swindon’s money. We need to go out to the people and actually ask them, is it what you want us to spend your money on?” she said.
