Reform council leaders vow to put district first

Reform UK councillor Karl Johnson is set to become the new leader of Wakefield Council following a dramatic shift in power last week.

Johnson was selected as the party's Wakefield group leader on Monday after Reform took control of the council for the first time, winning 58 out of 63 council seats.

Labour has been in continuous control in Wakefield since 1974, but the party was left with just one seat following Thursday's elections.

Johnson, who represents the Stanley and Outwood East ward, said Wakefield would "always come first in every decision we take".

"It's a great honour to have been elected as group leader and be nominated as the new leader of Wakefield Council," he said.

"I'd like to thank every resident who trusted Reform UK to bring change at the election last week.

"We're going to be working flat out to repay your faith and deliver for everyone in our district."

Johnson was previously elected to represented Wakefield South ward in 2019 as a Conservative councillor, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said, but quit the party in 2023 and continued to sit as an independent.

He later lost the Wakefield South seat to Labour but returned to the council in 2026 with Reform.

At a meeting at Wakefield Town Hall on Monday, Reform members also elected John Thomas to be deputy leader.

Thomas, who represents Altofts and Whitwood, said: "It's a real privilege to be elected by my colleagues as deputy leader of Reform UK and be nominated as the next deputy leader of Wakefield Council.

"I'm looking forward to being part of a strong Reform UK leadership team that focuses every day on making life better for all of our residents, no matter where you live in our district."

Johnson and Thomas will be formally confirmed as the authority's new leaders at the council's annual general meeting on 20 May.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.