Reform UK boot Glenn Gibbins out of party after being convicted of grossly offensive Nigerians comment
Gibbins, 66, was convicted of a malicious communication after a trial where he argued he was just making a “naughty”, tongue-in-cheek joke.
Reform UK have confirmed previously suspended city councillor Glenn Gibbins has been expelled from the party.
On Monday, Gibbins, 66, was convicted at South Tyneside Magistrates Court of suggesting in a post on social media that Nigerians in the city should be melted down and used to fill potholes.
Following being charged, Reform UK suspended Gibbins from the party pending the outcome of the trial.
Reform have now confirmed Gibbin’s has been kicked out of the party. A spokesperson said: “Cllr Gibbins has been expelled from the party following the conclusion of his trial.”
After local elections on May 7, Gibbins was suspended from Reform UK while the party carried out an investigation. However, in June, a spokesperson confirmed Gibbins was reinstated in the party and free to take up his role as Hylton Castle ward councillor after apologising for the post.
Reform UK were criticised at the time for their initial decision to to allow Gibbins to be reinstated , with the party also condemned yesterday by the city’s leading political figures.
Sunderland Central MP Lewis Atkinson said: “Reform UK Sunderland are guilty of a complete failure of leadership in this case. The party defended the decision to allow Glenn Gibbins to serve as a Reform councillor, despite the deeply offensive comments that had come to light.
“That decision now demands serious explanation. Time and again, Reform show that they would rather tolerate behaviour that divides our communities than focus on building a better future for Sunderland.”
Reform have hit back at the Labour Party, referencing a report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC ) dating back to 2020, over allegations of anti-Semitism. Speaking at the time, the watchdog said said its analysis ‘pointed to a culture within the party which, at best, did not do enough to prevent antisemitism and, at worst, could be seen to accept it’.
After confirming Gibbins had been expelled, a Reform spokesperson said: “Labour forget that they have been criticised by the EHRC for not tackling antisemitism. That the Labour Party can throw around accusations of racism when their own party have welcomed back individuals who attempted to deny that antisemitism existed is astonishing.’”
District Judge Zoe Passfield sentenced Gibbins to a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work, having assessed that the post was not just offensive, but was grossly so.
According to the UK Parliament website, if a councillor has been convicted of criminal offences and receives a jail sentence - whether suspended or not - of three months or more, they are disqualified from either standing for or holding office as a local authority member for a period of five years.
Gibbins’s sentence falls significantly below this threshold and would not prohibit him from serving as a councillor.
We have contacted Sunderland City Council to see if Gibbins has resigned from his position as a councillor and if a bi-election is going to be called for his Hylton Castle Ward.
We have also contacted Gibbins to give him the right of replay to the conviction and being booted out of the party. As yet, he has not responded.