THE former leader of Reform UK at Cornwall Council has resigned from the party over the weekend to set up a new independent political group.

Cllr Rob Parsonage has left Reform along with his wife Cllr Christine Parsonage and Cllr Anna Thomason-Kenyon.

They have joined forces with the Reform group’s former deputy leader, Cllr Rowland O’Connor, and Cllr Karen Knight – who left the party last week – to form the breakaway Cornish Independent Nonaligned Group at the council.

This means that Reform is no longer the largest political group at the local authority – that honour now goes to the Liberal Democrats.

In what has been a quite disastrous month for Reform UK in Cornwall, deputy leader Cllr Rowland O’Connor not only stepped down from his role but also from Reform itself, becoming a Standalone Independent, at the beginning of October. He said: “Remaining within the party was limiting my ability to speak and act freely for our community.” He told his ward members in St Columb Major, St Mawgan and St Wenn he could now serve them “without party influence”.

If that wasn’t enough of a shock, the group’s leader Cllr Rob Parsonage (who represents Torpoint) resigned his role two days later though remained, albeit briefly, a Reform councillor. His move came at a time when the former chairman of Reform’s South East Cornwall branch criticised Cllr Parsonage’s leadership, saying he “possesses neither the intellect nor leadership qualities, or indeed any charisma at all, required for this important role”.

Following a vote among Reform’s councillors last Tuesday, Parsonage and O’Connor were replaced by Cllr Paul Ashton as leader and Cllr Roger Tarrant as deputy leader of the Reform group. A few days after that, Cllr Karen Knight – who was voted in as the Reform councillor for Camborne West & Treswithian in May – joined Cllr O’Connor as a Standalone Independent.

Now, over the weekend, Rob Parsonage, his wife Christine (who represents St Columb Minor & Colan) and Anna Thomason-Kenyon (Constantine, Mabe & Mawnan) have also left Reform and all five have formed the new Cornish Independent Nonaligned Group, with Cllr O’Connor as group leader and Cllr Rob Parsonage as the deputy leader.

Cllr Christine Parsonage is currently absent on a period of special leave until December 7. Earlier this year, she faced criticism from Newquay councillors for not attending town council meetings. She has also faced criticism for living 45 miles away from the area she represents.

All those concerned have been approached to ask why they’ve left Reform and what their political intentions are with the new group. We are also awaiting reaction from the Reform group in Cornwall to the latest resignations.

The changes now mean that the political make-up of Cornwall Council is:

The council now has a Liberal Democrat / Independent coalition administration following four years of a Conservative cabinet.