‘Melt Nigerians to fill potholes’ — Outrage as UK politician wins election despite ‘vile’ racist slur

SUMMARY

• Newly elected Reform UK councillor Glenn Gibbins is under fire for a 2024 post suggesting Nigerians be "melted down" to fix road potholes.

• Despite the vile comments being exposed by Hope Not Hate, Gibbins successfully won a seat in the Hylton Castle ward during the May 2026 elections.

• While local officials announced his suspension, Reform UK’s national leadership, including Richard Tice, has been accused of dismissing the outrage as a "media smear campaign".

A UK politician has been suspended after a resurfaced social media post showed him saying Nigerians should be "melted down" to repair local roads, sparking outrage across Britain and Nigeria.

Glenn Gibbins, a newly elected councillor representing Reform UK for the Hylton Castle ward in Sunderland, came under fire after anti-extremism group Hope Not Hate exposed the comment during the 2026 UK local elections.

The controversial post reportedly read:

The remark immediately triggered backlash online, with critics describing it as racist, hateful and dehumanising toward Nigerians and African immigrants living in the United Kingdom.

The investigation into Gibbins’ online history suggests the comment about Nigerians was not an isolated slip of the tongue. 

According to an investigative report by Hope Not Hate, his digital footprint reveals a history of deep-seated racism and misogyny that many say should have disqualified him from the ballot.

Gibbins targeted Muslim immigrants and warned of an "army of Muslims" who would eventually "turn on" the British public.

He attacked Women, claiming they should "stick to cooking, sewing and homemaking" and specifically targeting female TV presenters with derogatory labels.

He also promoted Xenophobia, repeatedly arguing that British "tolerance" was a weakness that had allowed the country to be "overrun".

Following mounting criticism, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK confirmed that Gibbins had been suspended pending an internal investigation into the comments.

The party’s deputy leader in Durham County Council, Darren Grimes, admitted there had been “a failure of the vetting process” after the post resurfaced publicly.

While local officials confirmed to the BBC that Gibbins had been suspended from the party pending an investigation, the central leadership has been accused of "hedging their bets".

Reform UK leader Richard Tice also came under pressure after appearing to avoid directly condemning the statement during media interviews.

When questioned on BBC programmes about the controversy, Tice said:

“Like any party, we have internal party processes to look at where people have said or done the wrong thing.”

Pressed further, he added:

“I condemn anything wrong and inappropriate.”

Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg on May 10, 2026, Tice refused to directly condemn Gibbins’ specific words. 

Instead, he pivoted to attacking the media, claiming the revelations were a "smear campaign" designed to overshadow the party's electoral gains.

“Voters have heard all of this smearing and this sneering against all of us, and they have voted for more Reform,” Tice stated, notably avoiding any apology to the Nigerian community.

His response drew criticism from political opponents and anti-racism campaigners, who accused the party leadership of failing to forcefully denounce hate speech.

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The comment generated widespread anger among Nigerians both at home and in the UK, where Nigerians remain one of the largest African immigrant communities.

Social media users condemned the statement as openly racist, while others called for stronger consequences for politicians accused of promoting hatred against immigrants.

"This isn't just 'bad vetting'; this is the core of what this party represents," said Georgie Laming, Director of Campaigns at Hope Not Hate. 

"To suggest melting human beings down to fill potholes is a level of depravity that should disqualify anyone from public service."

Despite his suspension from his party, Gibbins remains an independent councillor for Hylton Castle, as UK law lacks a "recall" mechanism for local councillors over social media posts made before an election.

Before the controversy, Glenn Gibbins was largely unknown outside local politics in Sunderland.

However, the resurfaced post has now pushed the councillor into national headlines and reignited conversations around racism, immigration and political accountability in Britain.

Some reports indicate that offensive posts linked to the councillor were later deleted after attracting public attention.

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