Reform UK councillor Stuart Prior resigns following social media allegations
Newly elected Essex official steps down days after securing his seat, amid claims he referred to Muslims as 'rats' and described white people as the 'master race'.
Stuart Prior has resigned from his positions on Essex County Council and Rochford District Council following allegations that he used racist and anti-Muslim language on social media. The claims, which emerged shortly after his election last Thursday, involve posts where Prior allegedly celebrated the rape of a Sikh woman and described white people as the "master race".
A dossier compiled by the anti-extremism group Hope Not Hate identified the specific posts attributed to Prior on the platform X. The allegations include comments made in November and October 2025, such as suggesting black people should be "segregated" and declaring that Muslims are "dirt" or "rats". In a specific response to a post by MP Zarah Sultana regarding a rape in Walsall, Prior is alleged to have written "good.reap it".
Prior denies making the comments, stating that the messages do not reflect his views and that "this isn't me". A spokesperson for Reform UK confirmed that the councillor had informed the party of his resignation for "personal reasons" and that his membership has subsequently been revoked. Despite the denial, the party has acted swiftly to remove him from its ranks.
The controversy arises in the context of a racially motivated rape of a Sikh woman in Walsall last year, for which John Ashby was sentenced to life in prison. The incident shook the Sandwell community, prompting four Labour MPs from the borough to write to Reform's local leader, Ray Nock, demanding condemnation of the alleged behaviour and the withdrawal of Prior as a candidate.
Prior was one of 53 Reform UK councillors elected to Essex County Council, a result that gave the insurgent party overall control of the authority. He secured the seat with 2,404 votes, the highest total in the ward. The resignation comes just days after this significant electoral victory, raising questions about the governance standards expected of the newly formed council leadership.
While the source material relies heavily on the word "allegedly" regarding Prior's actions, with no court or independent tribunal yet adjudicating the truth of the specific claims, the institutional response has been decisive. The conflict between the allegations and Prior's assertion of innocence highlights the immediate pressure on public officials to maintain conduct that aligns with party values and community expectations.