Darren Grimes on standing for Reform at Durham council election

The Reform UK candidate has returned to the ex-mining region of Annfield Plain and Tanfield to stand in next month’s Durham County Council election. 

After growing up and going to school in Tanfield, Grimes went from being a Liberal Democrat activist in 2015 to an ardent supporter of the Vote Leave Brexit campaign.

The former fashion design student previously said he was brought up in a working class, single-parent background, and in 2015, blamed the government for killing aspiration amongst young people in the UK.

His five-year stint at GB News came to an end earlier this year. 

Darren Grimes and Nigel Farage visited Stanley town centre. (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

He met party leader Nigel Farage and dozens of candidates representing Reform on Tuesday in Stanley, where he spoke of his pride in fighting for residents’ beliefs. 

“We’re a region that has totally been taken for granted and forgotten for far too long, so [I want to] stand up and represent the values and views common sense folk up here actually care about,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 

“I call this the no-nonsense North and nowhere is that more clear than in County Durham. Being able to voice what people want to say and have a platform to do it is incredibly rewarding. It’s a great honour. I haven’t been elected, but I hope I will be because I want to continue using my voice for the greater good.”

A total of 99 candidates have been selected to stand for the party in every single seat at the May election. The party received an early boost in December when former Conservative county councillor Robert Potts defected to Reform UK. He was followed by councillors Joe Quinn, Cathy Hunt and Mike McGaun, who also left the Conservative Party. 

The 31-year-old said the reception on the doorstep has been “absolutely superb”. He added: “The [North Durham Labour] MP Luke Akehurst was out and about in Tanfield and it was the first time my family had seen him. It’s a sign we are giving Labour the willies. 

“For the first time since Brexit, people see this as a genuine vehicle for change and to get some Reform at Durham County Hall. I’m excited by what I’m hearing and it’s really positive. 

The Joint Administration in charge of the council – consisting of Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Independents – was formed following 2021’s local election but Grimes dismissed any desire to collaborate with other parties. 

He said: “We’re not talking about coalitions of chaos that we’ve got currently, which I don’t think has delivered for the people of County Durham. You either go big or go home and we’re going big. We are going to do really well.”

Recommended reading: 

Full list of candidates standing in Annfield Plain and Tanfield

Karen Allison – Reform UK

Kevin Briggs – Conservative Party

Joyce Charlton – Derwentside Independents 

Darren Grimes – Reform UK

Olga Milburn – Labour Party

Joan Nicholson – Derwentside Independents 

Sopha Phal – Liberal Democrats 

Garry Richardson – Conservative Party

Jeanette Stephenson – Labour Party

Sarah Twigg – Green Party