Were Havering voters misled on Hexit? (opens original article in a new tab)

Reform UK's victory in Havering led to accusations of misleading voters over the Hexit proposal, which the party's new council leader rejected as impractical, while opponents highlighted the lack of legal authority for a borough to exit the GLA.

• Reform UK won its first London borough in May, but its new council leader dismissed the idea of Havering exiting the Greater London Authority (GLA) as a waste of time and money.
• Opposition parties accused Reform UK of misleading voters on the Hexit issue, which involves Havering leaving the GLA to gain more local control over spending.
• The GLA cannot be exited by a London borough without central government legislation, and some residents and business owners expressed concerns about the financial and practical implications of Hexit.
• Reform UK's local MP, Andrew Rosindell, supports Hexit but acknowledges it would require a general election victory to implement, while the party's council leader prioritizes addressing a £70m budget shortfall.