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Reform reinstates councillor who said ‘Nigerians should be melted down to fill pot holes’ | News Politics
A Reform candidate who said Nigerians should be melted down to ‘fill in the pot holes’ has been let back into the party.
Glenn Gibbins was placed under investigation after he was elected as the new councillor for Hylton Castle Ward in Sunderland in early May.
In now deleted posts, he ranted on social media he ‘carnt [sic] believe amount of Nigerians in town’ and they ‘should melt them all down and fill in the pot holes’.
The comments – believed to be from march 2024 – sparked widespread condemnatin and led Reform to begin an internal disciplinary process.
However the party has now confirmed that Cllr Gibbins has been reinstated.
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A Reform spokesman said: ‘Following an internal disciplinary process, Cllr Gibbins has been readmitted to the party and issued with a final written warning.
‘He has apologised for making the post and accepts that it was made in extremely poor taste showing poor judgment.’
Other social media posts from Glenn Gibbins showed that hadcomplained about women being on TV, calling Mel and Sue the two ‘unfunniest fat repulsive lesbian hosts ever’.
His views extend to sport, writing during the 2021 Ireland v Japan rugby match: ‘Yet another woman comentator. It’s getting out of controll. There must be a hundred better male comentators but had to give it to a female [sic].
‘Wish they wud stick to cooking, sewing and homemaking [sic].’
Reform deputy leader Richard Tice refused to directly criticise Gibbins at the time reports about the posts surfaced, instead accusing the media of ‘smearing’ his party.
Asked if Mr Gibbins views represented Reform UK, he said: ‘This weekend we are celebrating our incredible successes.
‘Like any party, we have internal party processes to look where people have said or done the wrong thing.”
He continued: ‘I condemn everything that is wrong and inappropriate.
‘Voters have heard all of this smearing and this sneering against all of us, and they have voted for more Reform.’
Other Reform councillors also faced scrutiny for controversial comments online.
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