By Ed Barnes – Local Democracy Reporter
Reform’s first leader in Oldham Lewis Quigg has announced he is leaving politics altogether citing ‘immense pressure’ on his family.
The announcement on October 23 came a day after the LDRS revealed Councillor Quigg, who has been a councillor for Royton North since 2022, had resigned from Reform UK mid-investigation. This was confirmed by the party in an official statement.
Cllr Quigg was one of Reform’s first councillors in the borough alongside Sandra Ball and Mark Wilkinson. He led the group into the 2026 local elections where the party won 13 out of the 20 seats available and the most votes.
Despite this success, the party was unable to gain enough support from councillors in other parties to lead Oldham council which has been locked in a stalemate since the May elections. No party has more than a third of members in the council chamber.
However, in September, Cllr Quigg was replaced by Mark Wilkinson who himself has been replaced by Cllr Paul Taylor. A by-election is scheduled in Failsworth West to replace Mr Wilkinson, who left for health reasons, and another by-election is now expected following Cllr Quigg’s announcement.
In a public statement on his Facebook profile on October 23, Lewis Quigg said: “Following a break abroad where I have been out of contact with ongoings at home, the past 48 hours have put immense pressure on my immediate family. A line I am not allowing to be crossed.
“I have made the decision following a discussion with them to resign as a councillor completely. I intend to leave politics completely as I wish to lead a private life away from public life and politics.
“I consider my time in public office over and will not engage with anyone regarding this resignation any further.”
This is the day after the Oldham branch of Reform put out a statement on their Facebook page, which said: “The Oldham Reform Group can confirm that Councillor Lewis Quigg has resigned from the Reform Group with immediate effect.
“This decision follows a difference of perspective regarding internal policy matters.”
The candidates running in the Failsworth West by-election are as follows:
Chris Baddeley – Reform UK
Stephen Eric Davenport – The Conservative Party
Pete Davis – Labour and Co-Operative Party
Rob Gunn – Restore Britain
Andrew Kevin Jones – Green Party
Lynne Christine Thompson – Liberal Democrats