Councillor Karl Perks Defects from Reform UK to Conservatives Over Flag Dispute

Worcestershire county councillor Karl Perks has defected from Reform UK to the Conservative Party, citing as a key reason that nobody was prosecuted for painting roundabouts with the cross of St George. The move, reported by BBC Hereford & Worcester political reporter Tom Edwards, adds to a pattern of local defections that raise questions about internal cohesion within Reform UK at the council level.

Perks, who served as a cabinet member for transport under the council's previous Reform administration, was fired in March after a series of disagreements. He said he wanted the council to consider prosecutions last year over the painting of red crosses on roundabouts and other council property — acts he described as 'acts of vandalism' — only to be 'criticised' and 'isolated' by fellow Reform politicians who did not agree with him.

In a statement, Perks said: 'During the Raise the Colours campaign, I supported the display of both the union flag and the cross of St George. What I could not support was criminal damage to public property. As the cabinet member responsible for highways, I condemned the painting of roundabouts, road signs and other public assets and stated that — where offences had been committed — prosecution should be considered. I believed then, and still believe today, this was entirely consistent with a party that claimed to support zero tolerance towards crime. Instead I found myself criticised, abused and isolated by Reform.'

Perks also said he had 'lost confidence' in Reform and felt that 'legitimate questions were too often viewed as disloyalty'. The defection comes just hours after the BBC reported that new Prime Minister Andy Burnham had pledged cost of living help in his first speech, but the local political drama in Worcestershire underscores a different kind of turbulence — one playing out in council chambers rather than Downing Street.

A Pattern of Defections

Perks is not the only Reform UK councillor to switch sides recently. In Solihull, councillor David Hoey — elected in the Meriden & Arden ward in May's local elections — also defected to the Conservatives, launching a blistering attack on Reform UK. Hoey, a former Royal Marine Commando, said: 'I joined Reform UK as a protest. However, once I became part of the group, I encountered behaviour I do not believe is appropriate for elected representatives.'

Hoey raised his concerns both locally and nationally but said no action was taken. He added: 'The Reform UK group has tended to focus on issues that generate headlines rather than those that best serve residents. That is not why I stood for election and it is not how I want to represent the people who elected me.'

A Reform UK source countered that complaints about Hoey's conduct and 'extremely limited attendance' at group meetings were being investigated before his defection. In April, while standing for election, Hoey had said Conservatives had 'ignored local people and local priorities'.

What the Flag Row Reveals

The flag dispute that triggered Perks' departure is, on its face, a local issue about vandalism and public property. But it cuts to a deeper tension within Reform UK: the party's stated commitment to 'zero tolerance' on crime versus the political appeal of patriotic symbolism. Perks argued that prosecuting those who painted roundabouts was consistent with the party's own principles. His Reform colleagues saw it differently, and the resulting isolation pushed him out.

For the Conservatives, picking up defectors like Perks and Hoey offers a chance to bolster local numbers and claim that Reform UK is not a stable vehicle for governance. For Reform, the defections — especially when accompanied by public criticism — damage the narrative of a unified party ready to challenge the established order.

Neither Perks nor Hoey are household names, but their departures matter in the context of local government. Councillors who switch parties mid-term can shift the balance of power on committees and in cabinet positions. Perks was already a cabinet member before being fired; his move to the Conservatives gives the party an experienced hand on transport policy in Worcestershire.

Implications for Solihull and Worcestershire

In Solihull, Hoey's defection hands the Conservatives a seat they might not have won in May. His criticism of Reform's focus on 'headline-grabbing issues' resonates with voters who expect councillors to fix potholes and manage bin collections, not just pick fights over flags. The Reform source's claim about Hoey's attendance suggests the party may try to frame the defection as a pre-emptive move by a councillor facing internal discipline, but Hoey's public statement — carefully worded to praise 'decent, committed and hardworking' Reform colleagues while condemning a 'small number of individuals' — makes it harder to dismiss as sour grapes.

For Perks, the path back to the Conservatives was paved by the flag row and his firing in March. His statement makes clear he sees Reform as having abandoned its own principles. Whether other Reform councillors share his view — and whether they will follow him out the door — remains to be seen.

What is clear is that Reform UK's local government operation is facing a stress test. The party surged in May's elections on a wave of anti-establishment sentiment, but governing — even at the council level — requires compromise, procedure, and the ability to hold internal disagreements without losing members. The defections of Perks and Hoey suggest that discipline is fraying.

For now, both men will sit as Conservatives. Their former colleagues in Reform will have to decide whether to fight the next election on the issues that generate headlines, or on the quieter work of serving residents. The flag roundabouts of Worcestershire have been painted over, but the political paint is still wet.