Reform UK reinstates Sunderland councillor after racist ‘melt down’ potholes remarks

Reform UK Reinstate Councillor Who Said Nigerians 'Should Be Melted Down'

A poster supporting Britain's Reform UK party is pictured outside of a residential property in Denton, Greater Manchester on February 12, 2026Reform UK have reinstated a councillor who said Nigerians should be meted down to fill potholes.Glenn Gibbins, who was elected in the Hylton Castle ward in Sunderland last month, made the remarks on social media in 2024.In the now-deleted post, he said: “Carnt [sic] believe amount of Nigerians in town… should melt them all down and fill in the pot holes!!”He told local paper ChronicleLive that his posts were “intended as jokes”, and were “made in extremely poor taste and with poor judgement”.“I fully recognise that these comments were entirely inappropriate and I sincerely apologise to anyone who may have been offended by them,” he added.It has now emerged that following an investigation, he has been reinstated by his party.A Reform UK spokesperson said Gibbins has been “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,” the spokesperson said.But Labour chair Anna Turley said Reform leader Nigel Farage “has sunk to a new low”.“Nobody who has made such disgusting comments is fit to serve the public – shamefully Nigel Farage clearly thinks that’s not the case,” she said.“He must reverse this decision and prove that there is no place for racism in Reform UK.”Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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Reform reinstates councillor who said ‘Nigerians should be melted down to fill pot holes’

Glenn Gibbins, the candidate for Hylton Castle Ward in Sunderland, has won his seat in this week’s council elections 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. He also said Nigerians should be melted down to fill pot holes However the party has now confirmed that Cllr Gibbins has been reinstated. Everything is changing, all the time Cut through political noise and understand how the Westminster chaos actually affects your life with Metro's politics newsletter Alright, Gov? Sign up here. 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. Glenn was unhappy with Mel and Sue being on TV Glenn accusing the government of allowing innocent people to be killed 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. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

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