A Reform UK councillor in Sunderland, Glenn Gibbins, has been charged in connection with a social media post deemed “grossly offensive” towards Nigerians.
Gibbins faces the charge under Section 127 of the UK’s Communications Act 2003. Prosecutors allege that in a 2024 post, he suggested Nigerians should be “melted down and used to fill potholes.”
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised the charge following a police investigation. Gibbins is scheduled to appear before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court in August.
“The Crown Prosecution Service has authorized a charge under the Communications Act 2003 in relation to an alleged grossly offensive social media post,” the CPS confirmed.
Gibbins was elected as a Sunderland councillor in the May 2026 local elections on the platform of Reform UK, a right-wing populist party.
In response, a Reform UK spokesperson said the party is aware of the situation and will “monitor the verdict closely.”
The party had earlier suspended Gibbins during an
