Stevenage Labour councillor defects to Reform UK
Mason Humberstone says Labour has 'left us' as council leader and local MP call for him to seek a new mandate
A Labour councillor in Stevenage has defected to Reform UK, saying he no longer recognises the party he joined and accusing it of being "lost, without vision." The move gives Reform UK its first seat on Stevenage Borough Council.
Stevenage Borough councillor Mason Humberstone, who won the Old Town ward for Labour in 2023, announced his switch in a statement issued by Reform UK. "I have not left the Labour Party, Labour has left us," he said, adding that Labour "too often serves a metropolitan elite disconnected from the realities of the people it is meant to represent." Reform UK said it was "delighted" to have him join.
The defection prompted calls from local Labour figures for Humberstone to seek a fresh mandate. The leader of Stevenage Borough Council, Richard Henry, said Humberstone should "do the right thing and seek a new mandate from Old Town residents in a by-election." Henry also told reporters that he had "made every attempt, above and beyond what would be considered reasonable, to accommodate and mentor councillor Humberstone" and listed concerns about his attendance, punctuality and adherence to commitments.
The Labour MP for Stevenage, Kevin Bonavia, described the move as disappointing and said Humberstone should resign and contest the seat under his new party. "If he wants to continue to represent residents here with a different political party he should do the right thing by resigning as a councillor and seeking a new mandate in another election," Bonavia said.
Humberstone's political involvement in Stevenage dates back to his school years. He was a member of the Stevenage Youth Council, ran unsuccessfully for youth mayor, and was elected the borough's first Youth MP in 2016. He has been listed as the BAME officer for the Labour Students organisation since last year. Humberstone won the Old Town seat for Labour in 2023 with 663 votes. The BBC has approached him for further comment.
The defection alters the makeup of the borough council, where Labour holds a significant majority. The council now comprises 30 Labour councillors, six Liberal Democrats, one Conservative and one Reform UK councillor.
Reform UK has been active in courting local councillors in recent months, arguing that it can offer a different approach to national and local issues. Labour representatives in Stevenage framed the defection as a loss driven by ideology rather than local service issues, while council leadership pointed to practical concerns about Humberstone's performance as a councillor.
The change comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of party allegiance and local governance across the UK, but no date has been set for any by-election. Stevenage councillors and local party officials said they will consider their next steps in the coming days.