Police have charged Reform councillor Glenn Gibbons with posting “a grossly offensive” comment on social media about the Nigerian population, which he later deleted. Reform suspended Gibbins from the party pending an investigation days after he was elected as a Sunderland city councillor on 7 May. Northumbria police said the charge was in relation to a post from 2024 which referenced the Nigerian community. A Northumbria police spokesperson said: “We are aware there has already been significant interest in relation to this individual and the social media post. Phillipson told The Guardian: “Nigel Farage needs to urgently explain why he welcomed Glenn Gibbins back into Reform just last month.”