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Ben Bradley, the former Conservative MP who also lost his Mansfield seat and the race to become the first directly-elected Mayor of the East Midlands, is set to join Reform UK.
Bradley, who also stepped down as leader of Nottinghamshire County Council last year, has said he will be working with Reform MP Richard Tice to look at savings at councils the party is in charge of – Nottinghamshire being one of them.
Bradley said there is an “earthquake” happening in British politics.
In a statement on Thursday morning, he said: “After a year out of politics altogether, I’m excited for a new chapter; a chance to drive positive change and lend my experience to get things done.
“As well as supporting Reform Councils, I’ll be working alongside Richard Tice MP and his Department of Government Efficiency to look at how Reform can save money for taxpayers, and how we can fix some parts of the system that are fundamentally broken.
“The challenges in councils – children’s services, social care, fixing roads, regenerating towns – are huge and varied, so I’m excited to be back in a role where I can make a difference.”
Bradley, who was once seen as a rising star in the Conservative Party and a possible future leader, now says he has no trust in it.
He added: “I’ve come to the conclusion that both this government and the previous one have lost the trust of the communities where I live and work. I don’t think that trust is coming back. People have watched successive governments over decades promise all sorts and deliver the opposite.
“An earthquake is happening in British politics, and I’ve never been one to sit on the sidelines and watch. I’m excited to get going and to lend my experience, in the hope that a future Reform government can be different and be the change that Britain needs.”
