Reform UK managed to gain thousands of votes in the General Election in Oxfordshire but failed to win a single seat.
The party is new on the political scene having been founded in November 2018 as the Brexit Party, advocating a no-deal Brexit.
Despite winning no seats at the 2019 General Election, the UK withdrew from the European Union in January 2020 and the party was renamed Reform UK the following January.
The right-wing populist political party was expected to cause a major stir in this year’s election with Nigel Farage re-joining as leader, replacing Richard Tice, with just one month to go.
READ MORE: Live General Election updates from Oxfordshire
James Gunn stood for Reform UK in Oxford West and Abingdon. (Image: Newsquest)
Thursday's exit poll predicted as many as 13 seats for Mr Farage's party but none of these were to be won in Oxfordshire.
Several Reform candidates stood in the county with two being Steve Beatty in Didcot and Wantage while Peter Shields campaigned in Henley and Thame.
Mr Beatty came fourth in his constituency with 6,400 votes and Mr Shields came third with 5,213 votes.
James Gunn got 4,164 votes in Oxford West and Abingdon which saw him finish fourth there.
READ MORE: Henley turns Lib Dem for the first time in 114 YEARS
Steve Beatty stood for Reform UK in Didcot and Wantage. (Image: Steve Beatty)
Bicester and Woodstock's Reform UK candidate Augustine Obodo managed 5,408 votes and finished fourth.
Paul Topley of Reform UK in Banbury garnered 6,284 which was not enough to be elected as he finished third behind the Conservatives and Labour.
Witney's Reform UK candidate Richard Langridge also finished third with 6,307.
Elsewhere in the country, the party claimed four seats with wins for the likes of Nigel Farage, Richard Tice and Lee Anderson.
Questions were raised over some Reform UK candidates in the final days heading into voting after campaigners for the party in the Clacton were recorded by an undercover journalist from Channel 4 making racist comments, including about the Prime Minister, who is of Indian descent.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson battles council after dairy farm purchase
The footage showed canvasser Andrew Parker using a slur about Mr Sunak and suggesting migrants arriving in the UK on small boats should be used as “target practice”.
Another activist described the Pride flag as “degenerate” and suggested members of the LGBT community are paedophiles.
Addressing an audience of thousands on Sunday, Mr Farage said: “Look, Reform is a new organisation. It’s a start-up and there were requests put out for candidates to stand.
“Have we had a few bad apples? We have, although to my knowledge nobody involved in an organised betting ring is standing for us, which is something.”
He added: “I have to say, the bad apples are gone. We’ll never have them back.”
READ MORE: When England and Euros hero Paul Gascoigne wore an Oxford United shirt
Help support trusted local news
Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe/
As a digital subscriber you will get:
- Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website
- Advert-light access
- Reader rewards
- Full access to our app
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel