Plymouth Reform UK member resigns over 'lack of reprimand' on migrant shooting comment
Cllr Carol Ney (Southway) who joined Reform UK in April, has returned to being an independent councillor
A Plymouth councillor has resigned from Reform UK in Plymouth over its handling of a social media comment made by one of its members appearing to support “open firing” on illegal migrants.
Cllr Carol Ney (Southway) who joined Reform UK in April, has returned to being an independent councillor saying she is “unable to support the direction of the party”.
The furore erupted over a comment made by Cllr Vanessa Tyler of Reform UK who was elected in May for the Plympton St Mary ward.
The Facebook post she responded to claimed Poland had passed a bill allowing border guards to “open fire on illegal migrants if they attempt to forcefully cross”.
Cllr Tyler commented: “This is what Reform and Restore would do if they get in… Do you not care about our country?”
Reform UK leader in Plymouth Cllr Steve Ricketts (Drake) said Cllr Tyler had since deleted her post and privately apologised to the group.
“We believe in second chances and felt that no further action needed to be taken,” he said.
But Cllr Ney, who resigned as Reform UK deputy leader a few weeks ago for “personal reasons”, said she believed that Cllr Tyler should be suspended and that there should be “more reprimand” by the group leader.
Elected as a Labour councillor in 2024, Cllr Ney left the party to be an independent the following year because of her concerns over the government’s cuts to the winter fuel allowance and plans to change personal independence payments (PIP).
She later joined Reform UK saying it was the party “best placed to challenge the political failure people are sick of seeing, both locally and nationally”.
This is not the first time that Reform UK councillors in Plymouth have come under fire for comments made on social media.
Cllr Ben Rowe (Reform UK, Ham) was suspended days after being elected in May over a number of historic Islamophobic and antisemitic posts he made. He was later reinstated after an internal disciplinary process and was issued with a final written warning.
Plymouth Labour, who criticised Cllr Ricketts at the time for “not removing Cllr Rowe from the group himself” is calling on the leader for the suspension of Cllr Tyler while an investigation takes place into her comments.
“‘It’s incredibly shocking to see a member of our council appearing to endorse the shooting of illegal immigrants,” said Plymouth City Council deputy leader Cllr Jemima Laing (Stoke).
“Unfortunately it’s not the first time that Cllr Ricketts has failed to act when members of his Reform group share particularly abhorrent messages and this time I’m urging him to do the right thing by suspending Cllr Tyler and to condemn her comments.
‘I’m sure they will be as shocking to the residents of Plympton St Mary as they are to the rest of us in Plymouth.”
Cllr Vanessa Tyler has been contacted for comment.