A Nottinghamshire councillor has stepped down only a week after he was elected as he felt he was ‘unable to deliver’ what people need following significant recent changes to Desmond’s personal circumstances since being selected as a candidate and whcih have led him to conclude that he is not in a position to deliver the level of service to the people of Newark West that they deserve and require.
Desmond Clarke won his seat for Newark West on Nottingham County Council only one week ago in the May 1 elections getting 909 votes and beating the incumbent Conservative councillor Keith Girling who only got 756 votes and who had been representing Newark West since 2021. The win was one of 40 Reform councillors who were elected during the party’s landslide win. He stepped down on 8th May with an official announcement being posted saying
“It is with regret that we have to report that Councillor Desmond Clarke has today decided not to take up his position as elected councillor for Newark West in the new Nottinghamshire County Council . Significant recent changes to Desmond’s personal circumstances have led him to conclude that he is not in a position to deliver the level of service to the people of Newark West that they deserve and require“.
Mr Clarke added: “I would rather take this decision now than risk letting the people of Newark West down just because I am unable to deliver what they need.“
Reform UK’s Newark branch chairman Lee Smith confirmed that the process of selecting the new Reform candidate to contest the upcoming by-election is already underway and said: “We all wish Desmond well in the future and recognise his personal circumstances have changed and we thank him for his contribution to the success of Reform UK in the local elections.”