Reform hails ‘new dawn’ at Kent County Council

It is the morning after the night before, and Nigel Farage has promised a “new dawn” in British politics.

Farage helicoptered in to Hop Farm, in Paddock Wood, on Friday evening for a party and fireworks after Reform took control of Kent County Council.

Speaking shortly after he arrived at the celebration event, he described the past 24 hours as “the most significant day of my career”.

The jubilant Reform leader also had a warning for both Labour and the Conservatives, saying: “Come the next election, I am telling you, Kent is at the top of our list.”

A statement perhaps that yesterday’s local council election result was just the start of the Reform UK leader’s plans to keep Kent turquoise.

The Conservatives, who were elected in 2021 to run the county council with 61 councillors, now face a reality of just five, not enough to even be the opposition.

Instead, that job will go to the Liberal Democrats, who now have 12 councillors – up six on their previous efforts.

It was a tough day too for independents on Friday, with none being elected across the county.

So what happens next?

Speaking as he packed up his leader’s office, Roger Gough, who lost his seat in Sevenoaks to Reform, said: “It’s a sad day and I’m going to miss this job.”

He then urged whoever comes next to “take it seriously”.

The person to inhabit that office will be decided next week, Reform’s new councillors have said.

Then we will see how Reform adjusts to the realities of power and, to put it bluntly, if they are any good at it.

They will have a big list of issues to contend with, not least local government reorganisation, which could see the very council they have just taken control of abolished in three years’ time.