I was elected to serve the people of Heene, not to serve a party machine.

The statement released today by Worthing West Conservatives is as disappointing as it is predictable: personal attacks and intimidation in place of honest reflection.

I can’t keep backing a party now promising to fix the very problems it created. That’s not integrity, it’s spin. When I stood for election, many residents told me they were lending me their vote, and that if Reform UK had been on the ballot, they’d have backed it. I listened. The local Conservatives did too, they made repeated attempts to dissuade me from moving, clearly unsettled by the public’s exhaustion with them.

The Conservative Party is a sad parody of what it once used to stand for and what I thought it stood for. I’ve seen from within what a corrupt machine it is, and how principle is so often pushed aside in favour of headlines, loyalty games and doing whatever it takes to hold the line, even when that line is failing the public.

Since being elected, I’ve dealt with potholes, met regularly with residents, fought against council tax rises and stood up for real small-c conservative values. That won’t change. What has changed is the party I believe can best deliver on those principles.

I remain fully committed to Heene and standing up for those who feel ignored.

Councillor Luke Houghton
Reform UK | Heene Ward