CLA · On the Record
Glenn Gibbins
Role at the time: Reform UK candidate for Hylton Castle, Sunderland
Role now: Independent councillor for Hylton Castle, Sunderland City Council
“Carnt believe amount of nigerians in town... should melt them all down and fill in the pot holes!!”
What was said
Hope Not Hate published a screenshot on 1 May 2026 of a later-deleted Facebook post attributed to Glenn Gibbins. The post complained about the number of Nigerians in Sunderland and proposed melting them down to fill potholes. The post has been reported as dating from March 2024, before Gibbins was elected; because the original is deleted, CLA cannot independently verify the exact posting date from the live post.
Context and response
Gibbins was elected to Sunderland City Council in May 2026. Reform UK suspended him after the post came to light. On 15 May, Gibbins apologised for a series of personal Facebook posts that he said were intended as jokes but were in extremely poor taste and showed poor judgement. He said they were inappropriate, did not reflect his beliefs or values, and that he regretted the language and offence caused.
Reform later reinstated him after an internal disciplinary process, reportedly with a final written warning. After a criminal charge was authorised, the party suspended him again pending the outcome of the case. Sunderland City Council’s current register lists him as an Independent councillor.
Evidence trail
- Hope Not Hate, 1 May 2026 — original investigation and screenshot of the deleted post.
- The Guardian, 10 May 2026 — reproduces the full wording and reports Gibbins’s election and suspension.
- ITV News Tyne Tees, 15 May 2026 — records Gibbins’s apology and the reported date uncertainty.
- The Guardian, 29 July 2026 — reports the Communications Act charge authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service.
- ITV News Tyne Tees, 21 August 2026 — reports the not-guilty plea, the issue before the court and the trial date.
- Sunderland City Council member register — confirms Gibbins’s current council membership, ward and Independent status.
Evidence status
Attributable, screenshot-preserved and acknowledged in an apology. The original Facebook post is no longer live. Its wording was preserved in the Hope Not Hate screenshot and reproduced by established news organisations. Gibbins subsequently apologised for the posts while saying they were intended as jokes and did not reflect his beliefs.
Legal status
Northumbria Police charged Gibbins under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 with posting a message alleged to be grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character. He pleaded not guilty on 21 August 2026. The court recorded that he accepted the post was offensive; the issue for trial is whether it was legally “grossly offensive” consistently with Article 10 freedom of expression. A trial was scheduled for 9 November 2026. This is a criminal charge, not a conviction, and no finding of guilt is asserted.
Last reviewed: 12 October 2026
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