From The Independent · · 2m
Farage sacked Reform general secretary over candidate vetting failure
Nigel Farage dismissed Tom Waterhouse after learning he hid criminal charges against a prominent Reform candidate from party leadership.
In brief
Nigel Farage dismissed Tom Waterhouse after learning he hid criminal charges against a prominent Reform candidate from party leadership. Reform UK's general secretary was sacked for failing to disclose that a prominent candidate had been charged with thirty-five criminal offences including twelve counts of rape…
General secretary sacked over hidden charges
Nigel Farage dismissed Reform UK general secretary Tom Waterhouse for failing to disclose that prominent candidate George Madgwick had been charged with thirty-five criminal offences including twelve counts of rape.
Official story cites family time
Reform UK's official statement on Wednesday said Tom Waterhouse had stepped down as general secretary to spend more time with his family, but senior party sources told The Independent he was sacked.
Waterhouse oversaw candidate vetting
Tom Waterhouse had been in charge of candidate vetting and was held accountable for a series of missteps in selecting people to run for Reform UK, following revelations including an ITV investigation alleging racism, misogyny…
Madgwick arrested but still stood as candidate
George Madgwick was first arrested over the allegations in January this year.He was still allowed to stand as a council candidate in Hampshire and became Reform UK group leader on the council after the election.
Leadership kept in the dark
A senior party source said Waterhouse knew about Madgwick's charges but did not tell Nigel Farage, Zia Yusuf or Suella Braverman, undermining their campaign efforts on small boat issues in Gosport and Portsmouth.
“We are furious about it. Nigel sacked him. Tom Waterhouse knew but he did not tell Nigel Farage, he did not tell Zia Yusuf and he did not tell Suella Braverman.”
Labour accuses Farage of dodging blame
Labour Party chairwoman Bridget Phillipson said Waterhouse is the latest fall-guy and that Farage must have known about the arrest, claiming nobody in Reform makes decisions without Farage's approval.
“Their general secretary is the latest fall-guy, but we all know nobody in Reform makes a decision without Farage's approval.”
Madgwick faces court in November
George Madgwick will appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on twenty-five November. The charges follow a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary investigation into allegations relating to four victims aged sixteen and seventeen at the time.
The bottom line
Reform UK's general secretary was sacked for failing to disclose that a prominent candidate had been charged with thirty-five criminal offences including twelve counts of rape.
