Reform 'newspaper' sent to millions features councillor who called for mosque ban and praised Tommy Robinson

Reform's new "newspaper" sent to millions of people features a councillor who said Muslims shouldn't hold public office and that all mosques should be shut. Nigel Farage ’s party sent out a campaign newspaper, called "The Reformer", as the party tries to stabilise after collapsing in the polls. The so-called newspaper shows Councillor Phil Tierney, who described himself as Islamophobic and signed a petition urging the Government to "halt the political persecution of Tommy Robinson". Mr Tierney shared a post on X in July 2025, saying: “I am Islamophobic.” He also reposted an image saying that “no communist or Muslim should be allowed to hold any office”, branded Islam a “plague on this wonderful earth” and called for all mosques in the UK to be closed. In May the party said it was "thoroughly investigating these allegations", but months later Mr Tierney is pictured alongside the caption “Cleaning Up Britain”. He is a councillor for Chelmsley Wood in Solihull where Reform has 17 seats, with the Tories on 24. The latest revelations come with Mr Farage already facing pressure after a documentary by ITV Exposure and Hardcash Productions, appeared to show Reform figures making sexist, racist and other concerning comments. In a further blow, this week The Mirror revealed Reform could miss out on dozens of seats across the country at the next general election due to anti-Reform tactical voting, according to new research. The survey commissioned by Electoral Calculus also found anti-Reform sentiment had grown over the last 12 months - as the right-wing party faces scandals on multiple fronts. Bridget Phillipson, Chair of the Labour Party, said: “There is clearly a rotten culture of racism in Reform. Nigel Farage isn’t just tolerating these toxic views. He’s now putting them up in lights. As ITV’s investigation exposed, this is prevalent in Farage’s party, yet he refuses to act. “For once in his life, Farage should hold his hands up. He should take action against his councillor's disgusting views and apologise for giving him so much prominence in his so-called newspaper.” There was also fury from the Tories. A Conservative spokesperson said: “Reform claimed they had improved their vetting. "Yet they are distributing a national newspaper to millions of households promoting a councillor who shared posts supporting Tommy Robinson and claiming Muslims shouldn’t hold public office. Nigel Farage clearly doesn’t have what it takes to get his house in order.” Reform UK did not respond to a request for comment.