Reform UK councillor Stuart Prior has resigned after being elected last week

A Reform UK councillor has resigned from his elected position just days after the local elections. It comes after the councillor was accused of making racist social media posts.

Stuart Prior, who denied making racist posts when approached by the Daily Mirror newspaper, was elected last week as a Reform UK councillor for Essex County Council and for Rochford District Council. It had previously been alleged by campaign group Hope Not Hate that Prior had described white people as “the master race” and suggested white people have “larger brains”.

A Reform UK source revealed that Prior has now resigned from his elected position, and has had his party membership revoked. On Monday, the source said: “Stuart Prior informed us that he was resigning from his elected positions for personal reasons. We have also revoked his Reform UK membership.”

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Prior had been elected to Rayleigh West division for Essex County Council and to Sweyne Park and Grange ward for Rochford District Council, both with about 40% of the vote. Reform UK won control of Essex County Council from the Conservatives on Friday, winning 53 of the 78 seats up for election.

An Essex County Council spokesperson said: “We have had confirmation that the successful candidate for Rayleigh West has resigned from their position as a county councillor.

“We also understand they have resigned from their role as a councillor for Rochford District Council. Officers from both authorities will work together to co-ordinate by-elections, with arrangements communicated to residents as soon as possible.”

A spokesperson from Rochford District Council also confirmed this was the case.