Senior Reform UK official quits as questions over vetting failures continue

Departure of Tom Waterhouse, Reform’s ‘latest fall guy’, will be blow to party amid push towards professionalisation

Reform UK’s general secretary has left the role as Nigel Farage’s party continues to face turmoil over questions about vetting failures and professionalisation.

The departure of Tom Waterhouse comes after Reform UK’s leader on Hampshire county council, George Madgwick, was charged with 12 counts of rape and one of distributing indecent images of a child.

Waterhouse, a public affairs executive who previously worked in the world of Westminster thinktanks and for the crown estate, was recruited in August last year. Labour described him as Reform’s “latest fall guy” for problems at the party.