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Row as deputy council leader compares Reform UK with Nazis
Martin Shipton
A council’s deputy leader is unrepentant after comparing Reform UK’s description of itself as a “People’s Army” with Nazi terminology used in the 1930s and during World War Two.
When Jane Gebbie, the deputy leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, came home late from a meeting, she was incensed to find a Reform leaflet had been delivered inviting her to: “Join The People’s Army Today!”
She immediately annotated the leaflet, writing: “Right wing rhetoric. Divisive politics. Misinformation.
“Hitler had a People’s Army AKA The Wehrmacht / Volkssturm / Sturmabteilung". Hope we remind people of the damage they did.”
Cllr Gebbie then posted her comments on social media, where they were met with howls of outrage from Reform politicians and their supporters.
Bridgend Reform councillor Owain Clatworthy posted a message on his Facebook page that said: “It’s been brought to my attention that the Labour deputy leader of Bridgend County Borough Council Cllr Jane Gebbie has compared Reform UK and its supporters to Nazi organisations.
“Let me be absolutely clear. Political disagreement is healthy. It is part of democracy. But comparing your own residents to the Wehrmacht and the SA crosses a line.
“Thousands of people across Bridgend voted for Reform UK at the last general election and many did so again in Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr when they elected me as Bridgend’s first Reform county councillor.
“These are ordinary hard working people who want change. They are parents, workers, carers and pensioners and veterans. They are people who deserve respect, not reckless accusations pulled out of the darkest chapters of history.
“When you hold public office, your job is to bring communities together, not tear them apart with outrageous labels. Calling your own residents ‘’like Nazis’ is not just wrong. It is irresponsible. And it shows exactly why so many people are turning away from Labour in the first place.
“I will always stand up for the people I represent. Whether they voted for me or not, they deserve leadership that treats them with dignity. We can debate passionately without demonising each other.
“That is the standard I am holding myself to, and it is the standard Bridgend should expect from everyone in public office.”
Formal complaint
Cllr Clatworthy said later that he would be making a formal complaint about Cllr Gebbie’s comments to both the council and the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
Cllr Gebbie told Nation.Cymru: “I am a worker and a trade unionist, and have worked all my adult life in local government and the health service. I know about history and I know the force that words can have.
“I was born in Singapore, was an air force child and have lived in Germany. I am not naive.
“We saw the way Reform conducted itself during the recent Caerphilly by-election. Their disgraceful campaign showed them stirring up racial division and hatred in a peaceful community, just like the Nazis in the 1930s in Germany.
“People should also take note of the recent revelations from people who went to school with Nigel Farage. The Guardian found 20 ex-pupils who spoke about his racism and his support for Hitler.
“People who can’t see the parallels need to read up about how the Nazis came to power and what they did when they gained it.
“Reform is not run in a democratic way but is a personality cult built around one man. It’s not even a normal political party, but a limited company run in an authoritarian way.
“I’m making no apology for what I’ve said, and I’ve been pleased and surprised by the cross-party messages of support from Conservatives and members of Plaid Cymru.”
A Jewish fellow pupil at Farage's school in London told this week how the teenage Farage persistently told him that "Hitler was right" and taunted him about the murder of Jews in gas chambers.
Farage has denied saying anything that was intended to be personally hurtful.
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