Reform picks ex-Plymouth leader to run Thurrock

Reform UK in Thurrock has chosen the former leader of Plymouth City Council to lead its administration.

Richard Bingley was the Conservative leader of the Devon council until three years ago.

He has since moved 250 miles back to Essex - where he grew up - and joined Reform.

Bingley pledged "to reset Thurrock Council along the path of being financially responsible, publicly accountable, unashamedly patriotic and proud of our local history".

The 50-year-old was elected for Stifford last week. The party won 45 out of the 49 seats available on Thurrock Council.

He is set to become leader on 27 May at the first full council meeting since the elections.

Bingley led Plymouth City Council for a year before he resigned in 2023 after issuing an executive order to fell more than 100 trees in the city centre as part of a regeneration project.

He was born in Orsett Heath, Grays, and was previously a Thurrock councillor in the late 1990s. He was elected a Conservative before defecting to Labour during the Blair years.

Bingley went on to stand for UKIP in Braintree in the 2015 and 2017 general elections and was the party's security and terrorism spokesperson.

He then headed to Devon, where he was elected as a Conservative councillor in Plymouth in 2021 - and became the council leader a year later.

He has worked as a security consultant and senior lecturer.

Bingley said in a statement: "There has been an absolute and sustained failure in political leadership in Thurrock throughout my lifetime.

"My priority is to build a future for Thurrock that delivers sound finances, business investment and jobs so we can rebuild trust in this council."

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