Daniel Sutherland, who represents Illingworth and Mixenden ward, has been a councillor for 16 years, holding senior leadership positions, including Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and the Environment and previously chaired the Planning Committee. His decision to defect makes him the first Reform UK councillor in Calderdale and only the second Labour councillor nationwide to switch to the party.
Mr. Sutherland said: "I was born into a working-class family that had supported Labour for generations, I joined them because I believed they stood for people like me, but Labour today is no friend of the working class. It threatens our country, fails our communities, and has abandoned the values it once claimed to stand for.
"Reform UK is the only party that speaks truthfully about the issues that matter - the cost of living, immigration, foreign affairs and more. I was drawn to Reform not just because of its policies but because of its professionalism and commitment to real change.
"This isn't a small step for me; it will be a massive change in my life. But it's one I am fully committed to seeing through, as the best way to support the people of North Halifax. We have the momentum, the people, and the ideas to make a real impact locally, and I am confident that we will win a large number of seats in the 2026 local elections."
Penny Hutchinson, Chair of Reform UK Calderdale, welcomed the defection, saying: "We are delighted to welcome Dan to Reform. His decision to leave Labour and stand with us shows that people are fed up with the old establishment parties - both Labour and the Tories - that have taken voters for granted for too long.
"More and more people are realising that Reform is the only party fighting for real change. Dan brings a wealth of experience to our team, and we look forward to working with him to give a real voice to local residents who have been ignored for too long."
Daniel Sutherland will now sit as a Reform UK councilllor, working to hold the local Labour administration to account whilst championing policies that put local people first.