A Reform UK councillor on Staffordshire County Council has defected to the Conservative Party, alleging she faced “bullying and sexism on a regular basis” within Reform’s county council group.

Charlotte Kelly, the councillor for Leek Rural, announced the move on Monday after what she described as a “period of reflection” on her political future. Kelly, 31, was one of the 49 Reform councillors elected when the party took control of the 62-seat authority in May 2025.

Her departure is the latest setback for Reform in one of its flagship councils. The party still holds control of Staffordshire, but its majority has been reduced since last year’s landslide by a by-election loss, departures and internal disciplinary disputes.

In a statement, Kelly said Reform’s leadership had failed to act on her concerns. “Unfortunately, as a member of the Reform group I have experienced bullying and sexism on a regular basis,” she said.

“Reform’s leadership has not been willing to deal with the issue and this has made it impossible for me to continue as a member of that group.”

Kelly, a former Conservative member before her 2025 election, said she considered herself a “traditional Conservative” and believed the party under Kemi Badenoch was now her “natural home”. She said the switch would allow her to continue representing Leek Rural “effectively and positively”.

Reform responded by accusing Kelly of being “a source of ongoing disharmony within the group” and said she was currently the subject of a formal complaint.

“It comes as no surprise that Cllr Kelly has left Reform UK,” a spokesperson said. “It is regrettable that she has chosen to defect to a party with a dire track record of mismanagement in Staffordshire - one that has driven the council into hundreds of millions of pounds of debt through reckless and uncontrolled spending.”

Philip White, leader of the Conservative group on Staffordshire County Council, welcomed Kelly back to the party and said she would join the group with immediate effect. He described her as “a dedicated and hardworking councillor” and said her experience and local knowledge would make her “a valuable member” of the Conservative benches.

White also said the Conservatives would offer confidential support to any other Reform councillors on the authority who were experiencing difficulties.

Reform’s victory in Staffordshire in 2025 was one of the party’s most significant local government breakthroughs, displacing a long-established Conservative administration. Since then, the council has faced repeated controversy, including the exit of former leader Ian Cooper after his Reform membership was revoked and wider scrutiny of councillors’ conduct and social media activity.

A by-election is due to be held in the Stretton division later this month, a contest likely to bring fresh attention to Reform’s grip on the county as questions grow over discipline and stability inside its ruling group.