Leicestershire’s policing boss Rupert Matthews joins Reform UK

Pete SaullPolitical Editor, BBC East MidlandsPolice and Crime Commissioner for LeicestershireRupert Matthews has been Leicestershire’s PCC since 2021The police and crime commissioner for Leicestershire and Rutland has defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK, giving the celebration its first PCC.Rupert Matthews has held the place since 2021 and served as an MEP for the East Midlands for the Tories between 2017 and 2019.Talking at a press convention alongside Reform UK chief Nigel Farage, he mentioned the “darkish coronary heart of wokeness” wanted to be reduce out of the felony justice system.”The self-serving, self-entitled liberal elite who’ve let our nation down time after time at the moment are on discover their day is sort of carried out,” he mentioned.”Be they Conservative or Labour governments, everybody is aware of our legislators have failed us all. They’ve let this nation down. They’ve let the British folks down. Sufficient. Now’s the time for Reform.”AnalysisBy Henry Zeffman, chief political correspondent, BBC NewsRupert Matthews is hardly an enormous determine within the nationwide Conservative Celebration.However his defection will nonetheless trigger some anxiousness. It provides to the sense that on the native stage – the bedrock of any political celebration – the institutional Conservative Celebration is fraying, and that the power on the appropriate of British politics is with Reform UK as a substitute.For Reform, after they gained management of 10 councils within the native elections in Might, gaining their first police and crime commissioner is one other native authorities milestone, and a helpful workplace from which to make arguments about what they declare to be Britain’s “lawlessness”.That mentioned, there’s a danger for Reform in buying too many ex-Conservatives that they incorporate too lots of the politicians who they declare have left Britain in a large number.Matthews was re-elected as PCC in Might 2024, beating Labour’s Rory Palmer by 860 votes.Asserting the defection on Monday, Farage advised the convention: “He is twice been elected as a Conservative however right now he comes throughout to us as our first police and crime commissioner.”He added: “Welcome on board.”The change will consolidate Reform UK’s energy base domestically, with the celebration having led Leicestershire County Council since Might after forming a minority administration.Peter Bedford, Conservative MP for Mid Leicestershire, mentioned: “It is disappointing that the 62,000 Leicestershire and Rutland residents who voted for the Conservative candidate finally yr’s PCC election have had their democratic voice overturned on this means.”The Reform Celebration could not even be bothered to area a candidate at that election so for the police and crime commissioner to defect to Reform beggars perception.”Labour accused Farage of “swelling the Reform ranks” with “the ghost of Tory previous” and mentioned his celebration supplied “anger, however no solutions”.Extra reporting by Gavin Bevis.