Ex-Reform councillors in Walsall launch new political group

A new political group has been formed by ex-Reform councillors in Walsall.

The Walsall People’s Alliance was launched by Councillor Daniel Rollinson and Councillor Bella Simon, with Councillor Robin Perry later joining the group.

The three councillors were each elected as Reform members in the May 2026 local elections but have each left or been suspended from the group.

At the last meeting of full council, Councillor Rollinson, ward member for New Invention, launched a scathing attack on the Reform leader Councillor Elaine Williams.

He said the people living in Walsall are ‘living under a dictatorship’.

Councillor Rollinson also accused Councillor Williams of giving ‘Keir Starmer a run for his money with the number of U-turns’.

Councillor Williams did not respond to Councillor Rollinson’s attack at the meeting.

However, deputy leader Councillor Nicky Barker said if councillors ‘want the truth to come out’ then they should give permission to publicly share emails between them and the leaders. No permission was given.

Councillor Bella Simon, ward member for Short Heath, was removed from the group in July.

In September she accused the Reform leadership of abandoning the principles of ‘democracy and free speech’.

Councillor Robin Perry, ward member for Harden, Goscote and Ryecroft, was suspended just days after the May elections.

On his departure he described Walsall Reform as ‘like Mussolini’s government’.

In launching the group, the ex-Reformers vowed to stand for ‘democracy, honesty, community first, unity and real change’.

Despite the defections, Reform still holds a large majority at the council with 37 out of 60 seats.

Councillor Rollinson was elected for a one-year term and will have to contest his seat in May 2027, while Councillors Simon and Perry were both elected for a two-year term.

By Rachel Alexander | Local Democracy Reporting Service