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Reform UK is unlikely to join ‘formal coalitions' to run councils, a leading party figure has told The MJ.After May 7 Reform UK is the largest party in four authorities - Norfolk, Bradford, Birmingham and, jointly with the Liberal Democrats, West Sussex - without clear majorities.But asked if the party would enter into coalitions, head of local government action in Reform UK's Department of Government Efficiency Ben Bradley said: ‘There's certainly all sorts of considerations to that, both locally and nationally, in terms of the politics of it all. So yes, it is something that requires engagement with the party centrally.‘I don't think, looking at it as we stand, that there are any places where we'd be looking to make formal coalitions.‘But inevitably, there are places where we are the largest party in the minority, and we're going to have to find a way to figure out who runs it and how they run it. So, we're picking leaders now, and have been since, since the weekend. ‘And as those leaders are appointed in those minority councils we inevitably need to understand the lay of the land and who's saying what.'He added: ‘We're not interested in getting into bed with other political parties in any formal sense, but we will, where it's incumbent on us to form an administration, look at the best practical ways to be able to do that and to run the thing.'Despite emerging as the biggest single party on Birmingham City Council, Reform UK was still well short of the 51 seats it needs for an outright majority. Reform UK Birmingham leader Jex Parkin's admitted there was ‘no viable route' for the party to take control of the council. He said in a statement that other groups had ‘made it clear that they refuse to work with us'. Birmingham City Council's elections delivered 23 seats for Reform UK, with the Green Party securing 19, the Conservatives and Labour winning 16 each, Independent 13 and the Liberal Democrats 12.Writing on X, the deputy leader of Birmingham Local Conservatives Cllr Alex Yip sad: ‘Without even approaching all groups to try to form an administration, Reform have admitted they are not capable of fixing Birmingham City Council.‘After claiming to have all the answers they are now treating everyone who voted for them with disdain. They've not even been in the job one day, and they've given up. They're just not up to it.'Deputy leader of Reform Richard Tice said its party's new councillors would not go into coalition with other parties, telling Sky News it would instead concentrate on ‘common sense politics'.

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POLICY AND POLITICS

Reform UK unlikely to enter 'formal coalitions' on councils

By Ann McGauran | 13 May 2026

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