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Reform UK Gets First Police and Crime Commissioner After Tory Defection

LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM, AUG 4 – Rupert Matthews criticizes early prisoner releases and political failures, citing over 10,000 early releases and calling for removal of 'wokeness' from the justice system.

  • Announcing his switch on Monday, Rupert Matthews, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire and Rutland, declared he joined Reform UK alongside Nigel Farage.
  • Citing systemic issues, Matthews argued he defected because he criticised the criminal justice system’s “dark heart of wokeness” and accused a “self-serving, self-entitled liberal elite” of letting the country down.
  • Rupert Matthews said police officers were hampered by working with “one hand tied behind their back”, shoplifting is getting out of control, and anti-social behaviour is turning town centres into an apocalyptic wasteland.
  • The defection leaves the Conservative Party needing a replacement candidate in Leicestershire and Rutland, signaling broader discontent and potential party realignment.
  • Building on recent local gains, the next Leicestershire and Rutland election will test Reform UK's influence after controlling 10 councils in May.
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11 Articles

ITVITV
Lean Right

Leicestershire police and crime commissioner defects to Reform UK

·London, United Kingdom
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Evening StandardEvening Standard
+3 Reposted by 3 other sources
Center

Reform UK gets first police and crime commissioner after Tory defection

Rupert Matthews has joined Nigel Farage’s party as he says the ‘dark heart of wokeness’ needs removing from the justice system.

·London, United Kingdom
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BBC NewsBBC News
Center

Leicestershire's policing boss Rupert Matthews joins Reform UK

Rupert Matthews, who held the position since 2021, has defected from the Conservatives.

·United Kingdom
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LBCLBC
Lean Right

Reform announces new justice adviser and PCC as the party reveals law and order policies

Reform UK has revealed two new members as Nigel Farage announced the party's justice policies at a law and order press conference on Monday morning.

·London, United Kingdom
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Leicester MercuryLeicester Mercury
Lean Right

Leicestershire's crime commissioner quits Tories for Reform UK

He has hit out at 'wokeness' in the criminal justice system

·Leicester, United Kingdom
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Guido FawkesGuido Fawkes
Right

Farage Makes 'Series of Announcements' at 'Law and Order' Press Conference

Farage is in the new Millbank Reform media centre to give a law and order press conference. He said it will be the “most significant event of our crime

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  • 44% of the sources lean Right
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Guido Fawkes broke the news in on Monday, August 4, 2025.
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