Reform UK complain of Warsash Festival snub after stall cancelled ‘last minute’
Reform says their stand being excluded shows bias - but fair organisers say it is a non-political event
Reform UK has hit out after being barred from a village festival, with the party blaming politics for the decision.
The Hamble Valley branch of the political party said it was disappointed after Locks Heath Rotary Club cancelled its booking for an exhibition stall at Warsash Festival on July 4.
Chair Josh Read criticised the “last-minute decision”, saying it was “hard not to see a political motive behind it”.
He said: “If the mayor is opening the event, then it is difficult to argue that politics has no place there.”
According to the Fareham Borough Council website, the Mayor of Fareham, Cllr Tina Ellis, and the deputy mayor, Cllr Susan Bayford, attend events as the borough’s civic figurehead and deputy, rather than as party politicians.
Cllr Bayford, who attended the festival, ordinarily serves as a Conservative councillor for Locks Heath.
Mr Read said Reform had “attended a number of summer fetes and community events across the area” and that “the reception from the public has always been positive”.
He added: “Had the Mayor been from Reform UK, we would have fully respected the right of Conservative representatives to attend with a stand or pitch.
“This is a democracy. Community events should treat everyone fairly, regardless of political affiliation.”
Locks Heath Rotary Club said the decision was based on its long‑standing non‑political stance.
A spokesperson added that the original enquiry about booking a stall came from the email address of another business, rather than Reform UK.
This did not make it clear at the time that the pitch would be used by a party, the spokesperson said.
Emails shared by Reform with the Local Democracy Reporting Service show that Mr Read did use a personal email address for the booking, but put “Reform UK Hamble Valley” under ‘company name’ on the booking form.
The Rotary spokesperson said it is a non‑political organisation and does not permit any political party to exhibit at its events.
Once organisers realised the booking was for Reform UK, they decided to cancel it and offer a refund for the stall, the spokesperson said. This is the same approach they said would be taken with any other party.