Cat Smith finds higher taxes, banned flags, chaos and care in crisis is the real world of Reform
The English local elections of May 2025 sent shockwaves through UK politics. Across 24 local authorities, including 14 county councils and eight unitary authorities, 1,641 seats were up for grabs in what proved to be a political earthquake.
Reform UK surged from zero presence to winning landslide majorities in six councils: Derbyshire, Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Staffordshire—all former Conservative strongholds. They also now lead Leicestershire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire under “no overall control” arrangements, and won control from a Tory-LibDem-Green coalition in County Durham.
In Lancashire, Reform holds a commanding 52 of the 84 seats, leaving the Conservatives—the next largest party—with just eight. With such a dominant majority, they have the power to govern effectively. Instead, they have chosen some remarkably callous hills to die on.
From day one, they got themselves into a flap with flags. In a rush to perform what they called a “patriotic overhaul” of council buildings, Reform leadership drafted a restrictive new flag policy intended to prioritise the Union Jack. However, due to sloppy drafting and a lack of consultation, the policy effectively banned the flying of the Lancashire Red Rose flag on county buildings. For a party that claims to champion local identity, accidentally outlawing the county’s own historic emblem was an embarrassing sign of the administrative chaos to come.
This administrative mess has been matched by a worrying disregard for democratic engagement. Despite Reform’s national rhetoric about “free speech” and “ending cancel culture,” the local leadership recently blocked me from speaking at a school’s conference on Fairtrade. Preventing an elected Member of Parliament from discussing global ethics with students suggests that Reform’s commitment to “freedom of speech” only applies when they agree with the speaker. At the time of writing, a Conservative councillor is still down to be at the event, but we shall see what fate awaits them!
In October 2025, Lancashire County Council announced a consultation regarding the future of five council-run residential care homes and day centres. These facilities, including Vale View in my constituency, provide vital support for the elderly and have served thousands of residents over the years.
At the heart of this consultation was a framework prioritising “value for money” and “market availability”. Naturally, residents feared this was a precursor to a mass sell-off. Those fears were confirmed when Graham Dalton, the Reform Councillor in charge of Adult Social Care, told the BBC that closures “very well could” happen. Notably, Cllr. Dalton is the owner of 1st For Care (GB) Ltd, a private social care company.
As a Lancashire MP, I was horrified. The council appeared ready to evict hundreds of vulnerable people and deprive hundreds more of essential care, all in the name of cost-cutting. Alongside fellow Labour MPs and opposition councillors, I stood against this policy to demand that the Council reconsider.
The community response was overwhelming: 1,000+ residents signed my petition to save Vale View Day Centre; dozens of families attended meetings to share how the centre prevents isolation and provides a lifeline for their loved ones; dedicated staff continue to provide incredible care, despite the cloud of uncertainty hanging over their jobs.
Following a massive protest in Preston, reports surfaced that the Council planned to save all ten care facilities. However, the victory was short-lived. It soon emerged that no formal decision had been made.
While Reform’s website posted celebratory claims, the Director of Operations at Lancashire County Council confirmed that “no decisions have been made about the future of the care homes or day centres”. Reform appears to have announced a policy shift before it was approved by the Council or even briefed to officers, leaving residents in a cruel state of limbo for months.
Reform UK is now accusing opposition MPs of “scaremongering”. In reality, their silence on the future of day centres like Vale View speaks volumes about their reckless approach to social care.
Since taking control last May, Reform has struggled to deliver on promised “massive cost savings”. Despite their rhetoric regarding “efficiency” and cutting “woke spending”, they have still announced a 3.8% Council Tax hike.
The residents of Lancashire are now facing the worst of both worlds: higher taxes and the looming threat of losing the essential services they rely on.