Reform Candidate Surprised to Be Ditched Just Before Deadline
Laura Newman found herself replaced by local party chair
A previous Action on Disability meeting
April 23, 2026
A prospective Reform UK candidate in Hammersmith & Fulham who says she spent months canvassing and building support was removed late in the day by the local branch chair – who decided to fight for the seat herself.
It is also alleged that, when concerns about whether a separate individual’s social media history would pass the vetting process, the same chair suggested they simply delete their accounts.
Dr Olivia Feng, Chair of the Hammersmith and Fulham Reform UK branch, was approached for comment on the claims though did not respond. Reform UK was also approached.
Laura Newman, 50, was due to stand in Hammersmith Broadway, West London, at the coming elections on 7 May .
She had been allocated the ward, alongside another Reform UK candidate, Muj Khan, with official photos taken and a leaflet drafted to promote the pair.
However on March 30, 11 days before the deadline for parties to submit candidate lists, Ms Newman said she received a call from Dr Feng to tell her she would no longer be standing in Hammersmith Broadway.
Dr Feng is alleged to have said this was due to the party HQ stating all candidates must be standing in their home ward, and that she instead offered Ms Newman the option of being a ‘paper’ option for neighbouring Fulham Reach.
Ms Newman said she rejected the proposal that she would run in any other ward. She claims she was subsequently removed from all of the party’s communications channels by Dr Feng.
Ms Newman described the alleged actions to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) as “ruthless” and “appalling”, adding it has left her disillusioned ahead of the elections next month.
Ms Newman said she first got involved with Reform early last year when she attended a meeting in Kensington and Chelsea.
She has since canvassed for Reform candidates in local by-elections and agreed to stand for the party in May, telling the local branch that she was willing to be allocated any ward in the borough.
Ms Newman said in February it was suggested she take on Hammersmith Broadway, which is a short distance from where she lives, and so she began developing a support network alongside Mr Khan.
The LDRS has seen an email from Dr Feng on March 16 confirming the pair were to be the ward candidates, as well as photos and a draft promotional leaflet.
After a day of canvassing alongside Mr Khan just two weeks later, Ms Newman however said she received a call from Dr Feng telling her she would no longer be standing in Hammersmith Broadway.
Ms Newman has cast doubt on the claim she says was made by Dr Feng, that Reform’s HQ wanted candidates to be standing in the ward in which they live. She says several other Reform candidates were ultimately selected to contest wards outside of the immediate area where they live.
One Hammersmith and Fulham candidate, David Kelly, is recorded on the council website as living in Colchester. He is able to stand in the borough due to working in Hammersmith and Fulham.
After discussing it with her husband Ms Newman said she rejected the offer due to not wanting to compete in her home ward though added she was willing to stand elsewhere if need be.
She claims it was at this point that Dr Feng removed her from the local communications channels, such as WhatsApp.
Ms Newman said she has submitted a complaint with the party, seen by the LDRS, though is yet to receive a response.
She said: “[Dr Feng] was still filling [the list of candidates] right up into the last week, when the forms had to go in, which is why it was odd that even though I’d said I’m putting a complaint in, I’m happy to be a paper candidate. Because I thought I’m not going to start again when I’ve done three months in Hammersmith Broadway.”
After refusing the offer, however, “she dropped all my communications, she took me off of all the groups, she stood me down on everything”.
“Why are you blocking people that are like me, that are interested in local and have been for years and years and years?,” Ms Newman said. “And actively seeking people that haven’t really got an interest in politics, are not really bothered or are from the Labour Party?”
Ms Newman has also questioned the level of vetting, given the number of candidates required so close to the deadline and what she claims happened when she flagged that her husband might not pass vetting.
The LDRS has seen messages from Dr Feng to Ms Newman in which she appeared to ask whether her husband is able to stand as a paper candidate.
Ms Newman responded saying he would not pass the vetting process, “because of previous tweets”.
It is understood this relates to him previously showing support for other parties, which other potential candidates are alleged to have failed the vetting over.
Dr Feng wrote back asking whether Ms Newman’s husband could “delete all the social media accounts”, a request which was rejected.
These points were all put to Dr Feng and Reform UK but the LDRS received no response.
Ms Newman said the experience has left her feeling disillusioned and that she is undecided who she will vote for in May.
“There’s good and bad on both [the Labour and Conservative] sides,” she said. “And I thought Reform were maybe going to come in fresh, take the good of both of those parties, and run with it and do something different, and do something new and radical. We’re going to listen to people that are your working average Joe and Joanna, we’re going to listen to these people, champion these people. When actually, you haven’t really done that, though, have you?”
She added: “It’s just like ruthless, appalling behaviour. I’ve had all the people message me, all the candidates in support.”
The LDRS previously reported how Dr Feng had emailed residents asking them to stand as paper candidates and advising them that, if successful, they have the option to “resign immediately”.
A Reform UK spokesperson said in response at the time: “This email was not authorised or issued by Reform HQ, nor do we condone its contents.
“Whilst paper candidates are a longstanding and common part of our political system utilised by all political parties, we make it clear that any Reform candidate is expected to represent their ward to the best of their ability if elected.”
Ben Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter
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