Reform UK Appoints New Havering Leaders After Election 2026

Key Points

• Reform UK’s new group on Havering Council has elected Cllr. Keith Prince A.M. as Group Leader and Cllr. Sue Benjamins as Deputy Group Leader.
• The appointments follow Reform UK’s election success in Havering, where the party won 39 seats.
• Cllr. Keith Prince A.M. is the London Assembly Member for Havering and Redbridge and previously led Redbridge Council.
• Cllr. Prince said the result sent “a clear message” that residents want change and said the party now has a responsibility to represent local people.
• Cllr. Sue Benjamins said the group is determined to stand up for residents and ensure local people “always come first.”
• The development marks a major political shift in Havering and one of Reform UK’s strongest performances in London.
• No further source material was provided beyond the announcement text, so this report is based on the supplied statement and standard news-writing structure.

Havering (East London Times) May 13, 2026 — Reform UK’s newly formed group on Havering Council has formally elected Cllr. Keith Prince A.M. as Group Leader and Cllr. Sue Benjamins as Deputy Group Leader after the party’s local election breakthrough in the borough.

The announcement follows a result that gave Reform UK 39 seats in the Havering local elections, a performance described in the supplied material as a major political shift and one of the party’s strongest showings in London. The leadership change sets the tone for how the party will organise itself inside the council after the election.

Why does the result matter?

The election result is significant because it has changed the balance of political power in Havering and placed Reform UK in a much stronger position in local government.

Winning 39 seats gives the party a large group to coordinate, and the selection of leaders is the first step in shaping that operation.

In the supplied statement, Cllr. Prince said the result “represented a clear message from the people of Havering that they want change.” He added that Reform UK now has

“a significant responsibility to represent residents, challenge the status quo and fight for the future of our borough.”

Who is Keith Prince?

Cllr. Keith Prince A.M. brings long political experience to the role. He currently serves as the London Assembly Member for Havering and Redbridge, a position he has held since 2016.

Before joining the London Assembly, he served as Leader of Redbridge Council, giving him experience in local government leadership and council administration.

That background is likely to be important as Reform UK builds a working group within Havering Council and begins setting priorities after the election.

What did the new leaders say?

As reported in the supplied announcement, Cllr. Prince said he was “honoured” to have been re-elected as Leader of the Reform UK Group and said he looked forward to working with the new team of councillors.

Cllr. Sue Benjamins said it was “a privilege” to have been elected Deputy Leader after what she described as a historic result for Reform UK.

She said residents voted for change and that the group is determined to stand up for local people.

Her statement also underlined the party’s stated local message, saying Havering residents “always come first.”

That wording reflects the group’s attempt to present itself as focused on local service, representation and accountability.

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What does this mean for Havering Council?

The appointment of group leadership is an internal but important political step because it determines who will speak for the party on the council, co-ordinate policy positions and respond to other groups. In practical terms, the leader and deputy leader will shape how the new Reform UK bloc operates day to day.

The result also suggests Havering Council is entering a more competitive political period. A strong Reform UK presence may affect debate on local services, spending priorities, planning, and accountability, depending on how the group uses its numbers and its influence in council meetings.

How should the election result be understood?

The most important fact is that Reform UK’s local election gains have translated into formal leadership appointments.

The wording in the announcement makes clear that the party sees the result as a mandate for change and a sign of support from local voters.

It is also clear from the supplied material that the group wants to present a disciplined public message. By selecting an experienced politician as leader and a new deputy leader soon after the election, the party is signalling that it intends to organise quickly and present a united front.

What is the wider political context?

The announcement describes the result as one of Reform UK’s strongest in London, which gives the party a notable local platform.

In borough politics, a strong electoral showing can reshape debates even where a party is not in full control, because the size and confidence of a new group can influence how other councillors respond.

Cllr. Prince’s Westminster and local government background may also matter beyond Havering. His experience at the London Assembly and in Redbridge suggests the party is leaning on established political leadership rather than building the group around first-time local figures alone.

Background to the development

Reform UK’s Havering breakthrough is the backdrop to the leadership announcement. According to the supplied statement, the party won 39 seats in the borough’s local elections, which is being presented as a historic result and a major shift in local politics.

That result created the need for the new council group to appoint its leadership team. In local government, such appointments are a standard next step after elections, especially when a party gains enough councillors to form a substantial group with its own internal structure and public voice.

What happens next?

The immediate next stage will be for the new leadership to establish priorities and define how Reform UK will operate on Havering Council.

The group will need to decide how often it speaks publicly, which issues it will prioritise and how it will respond to the council’s wider political agenda.

Residents will likely judge the group not only on its election message but also on how it handles casework, council scrutiny and local concerns. The leadership appointment gives the party a structure, but its longer-term impact will depend on performance.

What is the likely impact on residents?

For Havering residents, the main effect is that there is now a larger and better-organised Reform UK presence representing a significant share of the council. That could bring sharper scrutiny of decisions, more visible opposition to existing policies and a stronger push for change on local issues.

It may also raise expectations. When a party wins on a platform of change, residents often look quickly for signs that the group is delivering on its promises in areas such as services, spending and representation. The practical impact will depend on whether the new leadership can turn a strong election result into sustained council influence.

Prediction

This development is likely to make Havering Council more politically competitive and may increase pressure on other groups to respond to Reform UK’s challenge. For local residents, that could mean more debate on council priorities and closer attention to how decisions affect everyday services.