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A leading figure for Reform UK in West London has been caught nabbing a Conservative campaign leaflet from a resident's letterbox.
In a video which was sent to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Andrew Retter, a spokesperson for Hillingdon Reform UK, can be seen taking a Tory election leaflet from someone's private letterbox before putting it in his pocket moments before he speaks to the occupant. The LDRS understands the resident is extremely unhappy with the situation.
Andrew Retter is a former Conservative councillor who now works with Reform UK in the borough. Mr Retter was deselected by the Conservatives in 2014 after 24 years in the party, before eventually being suspended.
The LDRS put the allegation to Mr Retter that he'd taken the leaflet. He initially claimed that the allegation was "silly things that the Tories are making up". He said: "Clearly, I've seen a bit of garbage on the ground, and I picked it up and put it into the letterbox."
However, when put to him that the video clearly shows him taking something from the letterbox, and putting it in his pocket. he said: "Okay, well my apologies for that.
"But I can assure you that we are not the only ones, or I am not the only one who has done it. I've known people throughout my political career who've gone and taken things out of letterboxes."
Mr Retter rejected a claim by the local Conservative group that the incident amounts to theft, says it "stinks of Tory desperation". He added: "They can't find anything on Reform UK, we've got policies that will bring back financial stability to the council. They're running scared of losing their pay packet - and that's what it's all about with the Tories."
A spokesperson for Hillingdon Conservatives told the LDRS: "This is clear evidence of theft from someone's private property. Andrew Retter has shown that he is clearly not suitable to be an elected member to represent the community and he has undoubtedly brought shame to the Hillingdon Reform team.
"We expect that, as a party, Reform UK will distance themselves from him as an individual, and agree that this behaviour and [what we would suggest is] illegal activity falls well below what residents of Hillingdon expect from people wanting to represent them."
Mr Retter later told the LDRS: "I'll take full responsibility for my actions - my actions, not those of the decent, hardworking, honest Hillingdon Reform UK candidate, member and supporter community, the majority of whom have never been involved in the cut and thrust of politics, where you were often told to bring back some opposition literature when out canvassing or delivering your own leaflets - they know that.
"Therefore, there's something else they want to deflect away from. Could it be my determination to have a public enquiry into the Theo's Café scandal? A scandal we now know has cost Hillingdon Council Taxpayers £113,000 in lost revenue.
"Has [it got something to do with] a number of unanswered questions into the influence of certain Conservative councillors? One being, why when it was known the Hillingdon Foster Carers Association (HFCA) was defunct, did a senior Conservative councillor push for a lease extension in 2023? Unanswered questions that the present Conservative group don't want answered. Clearly there are a number of elected Conservative councillors not suited to represent Hillingdon borough.
"My actions, for which I apologise, were at minimal cost. Theirs are costing Hillingdon residents thousands. No wonder Hillingdon council is broken and bankrupt."
The LDRS contacted Reform UK, however no response was received by the time of publication. Hillingdon is one of the boroughs on Reform UK's list of areas it believes it can win.
The borough is currently Conservative-led and has been for over two decades.
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