Former Labour councillor joins Reform UK

A former Dudley Labour and Black Country Party councillor has taken a long political journey to join Reform UK Coseley councillor Peter Drake will sit as a member of the official opposition leaving his former group with just two councillors.

Reform welcomed the arrival after suffering a couple of recent losses with the defection of Cllr Andrew Southall to Restore Britain and the resignation of Ivor Robinson for personal reasons.

Cllr Drake said: “I’ve decided to join Reform UK because I believe it offers the fresh approach and clear direction that local government needs.

“I want to work with colleagues who are serious about tackling the issues that matter to residents and making Dudley Council work better for the people it serves.”

Dudley Reform UK’s leadership welcomed their latest councillor, who boosts the size of their group to 22 members, the Conservatives are the largest single group on the 72 seat authority with 27 councillors.

Dudley Reform UK leader, Cllr Marco Longhi, said: “Peter’s decision to join Reform UK is another boost for our team at Dudley Council.

“We are building a strong, determined group focused on delivering the change residents want and holding the council to account.

“Peter will be a valuable addition to that effort.”

Reform could have another councillor if they hold the seat vacated by Mr Robinson at a by-election in the St James’ ward on October 29.

Cllr Drake has been playing political musical chairs in the council chamber since March 2025 when he left Labour, the party he represented since his election in 2019.

When he left Labour, Cllr Drake said he felt Labour was ‘attacking the people they were meant to represent’ and ‘principles matter’.

After a spell as an independent, Cllr Drake joined The Dudley Independent Group under the leadership of the current mayor and fellow Labour defector, Cllr Pete Lowe.

The Diggers, as they were known, then became the Black Country Party but in July 2026 Cllr Drake left the group, to again sit as an independent.

Speaking on his resignation from the Black Country Party, Cllr Drake said: “The Black Country Party holds to progressive attitudes on matters such as migration, diversity and multiculturalism.

“It is impossible to reconcile these with my concerns regarding the consequences of mass migration and reckless mismanagement of what is probably the largest movement of people’s [sic] in human history.”

By Martyn Smith | Local Democracy Reporting Service