- Reform's Rob Howard resigned as leader of Warwickshire County Council, citing health challenges, just weeks after being elected.
- His 18-year-old deputy, George Finch, has taken over as interim leader, becoming responsible for the council's £1.5bn assets and £500m budget.
- Howard's resignation follows a series of other newly-elected Reform councillors resigning or quitting their roles shortly after the local elections.
- Despite these internal issues, a recent YouGov poll indicates a significant surge for Reform, projecting them to win the most seats if an election were held today.
- The poll suggests Reform could jump to 271 MPs, potentially forming a minority government, while Labour's projected seats would significantly decrease to 178.
IN FULL