Reform UK reveals raft of Norfolk election candidates

The party, previously known as the Brexit Party, was co-founded by former UKIP leader Nigel Farage and Catherine Blaiklock, who lives in Lingwood.

Its leader Richard Tice previously said every Tory candidate will face a Reform opponent in the general election.

And the party has revealed seven prospective parliamentary candidates for Norfolk and Waveney.

Kabeer Kher (Image: Reform UK)

They are Kabeer Kher (Mid Norfolk), Eric Masters (Broadland and Fakenham), Jason Patchett (North Norfolk), Nick Taylor (Norwich North), Richard Lines (South Norfolk), Toby McKenzie (South West Norfolk), Scott Huggins (Waveney Valley).

Nick Taylor (Image: Reform UK)

Mr Masters, who is standing in the newly-renamed Broadland and Fakenham constituency, where he hopes to unseat Conservative Jerome Mayhew, was a Vote Leave co-ordinator for Norfolk during the European Union referendum.

A former UKIP Norwich South constituency chairman, he has previously unsuccessfully stood for UKIP and the Conservatives in city and county elections.

Mr Masters said: "Our country is in a mess in no small way to the way our government has run our economy, but it is both Houses that have forgotten who they work for favouring international politics over the wishes of the constituents and their pledges made in 2019.

"Our laws and courts are a joke around the world and our borders leak more than a sieve and that’s not talking about pot holes, flooding, NHS or the economy - the list goes on."

Eric Masters (Image: Eric Masters)

Reform UK gained its first MP after former Conservative deputy chairman Lee Anderson defected last month.

Jason Patchett (Image: Reform UK)

Recent polls have put Reform several points behind the Conservatives, with speculation the party could make further gains if its founder Mr Farage, currently its honorary president, were to take on a more prominent role.

Richard Lines (Image: Reform UK)

However, the party has ditched 10 candidates for the forthcoming election following complaints about their social media posts, including two who were found by campaign group Hope Not Hate to have made derogatory comments about Muslims and black people.

It prompted Mr Tice to warn candidates not to use social media after drinking alcohol, to avoid posting "inappropriate" comments.