New group whip for Reform UK at Lancashire County Council
Reform UK appoints new councillor to role responsible for party discipline on the same day the local group made national headlines
Hello and welcome to The Lancashire Lead.
Yesterday, we broke the story that Reform UK’s deputy leader at County Hall had apologised after resharing content calling for a Labour MP to be shot. As is now increasingly the case, the BBC, Guardian and the Independent soon followed behind.
Today we tell you that Stephen Atkinson, the leader of Reform UK at Lancashire County Council, has shuffled his pack of cards and moved a new councillor into the role of group whip - the person responsible for party discipline and conduct.
That this announcement was made on the same day that Cllr Simon Evans apologised for what the party is calling an ‘honest mistake’ may be linked - and it may not be. But we dig into some of the broader context behind it.
I also wanted to share the words of a journalist working for one of the big titles in Lancashire, who asked that we do not include their name (it’s feasible their employer wouldn’t love the public endorsement).
I just wanted to say an 'out of the blue' thank you to you and the team at The Lead. The regular newsletters highlighting the pitfalls of the current leadership are crucial for residents and beyond. Keep up the excellent work!
Lancashire briefing
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New group whip for Reform UK at Lancashire County Council
By Luke Beardsworth
A new group whip has been announced by Reform UK in Lancashire - on the same day the deputy leader apologised for resharing a post calling for a Labour MP to be shot.
Cllr Russell Walsh, Reform UK’s representative in Morecambe North, replaces Cllr Luke Parker in the role.
As group whip, it will be Cllr Walsh’s responsibility to keep Reform UK in Lancashire singing from the same hymn sheet. The party locally said that his role will focus on ‘maintaining high standards of conduct, supporting and mentoring councillors, coordinating group business and ensuring that Reform councillors work together to challenge poor decision-making and deliver better outcomes for Lancashire residents.’
No reason was given for Cllr Parker being replaced in the role, although he is set to continue in his role as county councillor for Preston East.
Cllr Walsh was elected to Lancashire County Council in May 2025 and serves on Morecambe Town Council. He switched from the Morecambe Bay Independent group in March 2025 specifically to stand for Reform UK.
Both he and the leader of the Morecambe Bay Independents said that the exit was on good terms.
He said: “At the end of any political term, people’s lives should not be harder. Families across Lancashire work hard and deserve councils that respect their money and make sensible decisions.
“Morecambe has the potential to be a jewel of the North and prospects like the Eden Project and the restoration of the Winter Gardens Theatre are once-in-a-generation opportunities for both the town and the wider county. Supporting local businesses and spending taxpayers’ money wisely must always come first.”
Cllr Walsh was described by opposition sources ‘actually pretty reasonable’ in relation to his conduct and how he has been dealing with people at County Hall since he was elected in May 2025.
For that reason, there will be some hope that the ‘increasingly personalised and aggressive attacks’ that have characterised County Hall in recent months will now ease - although the local elections offer a potential point for conflict.
Lancashire County Council has not been plagued with the same volume of headline-making issues that Reform UK has seen in some authorities it took control of in May 2025 - and issues with conduct are not exclusive to Reform UK - but it will be hoped Cllr Walsh can get a grip of the issues that have arisen.
