Reform council candidate moves to China – but could still be elected
Short-notice China move leaves council facing byelection
Alan Beswick, a Reform candidate for North Northamptonshire council, is up for election on 12 June.
There’s just one problem: he has moved to China.
If he is elected, there will need to be an immediate byelection.
The Higham Ferrers ward election, which had been due to take place on 1 May, was delayed due to the death of one of the candidates – as legally must happen in that situation.
In the intervening month-and-a-bit, the candidate, Beswick, has departed for a new life in China.
Reform councillor Kirk Harrison explained: “He has got a Chinese wife and something has happened and he has got to go over there to China.”
Confusingly, Reform were able to add a new candidate to the ballot but say they could not remove Beswick, meaning that for the 12 June election they are now putting forward three candidates for two seats.
Beswick is alphabetically first on the ballot paper, raising his chances of getting accidentally elected, despite his new residence 5,000 miles away.