On the Record: Jamie Campbell

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Jamie Campbell

Role: Former Solihull councillor for Castle Bromwich; elected for Reform UK in May 2026 and reported by ITV on 16 October 2026 to have resigned from both the party and the council

“There's got to be a way of stopping that, like go and buy some pork chops … We'll bury it in the ground.”

What was said

During campaigning in Birmingham in April and May 2026, ITV Exposure secretly recorded Campbell, Alan Feeney and Chris Whelan discussing speculation that a mosque might be built in Castle Bromwich.

Campbell said: “There's got to be a way of stopping that, like go and buy some pork chops. We'll bury it in the ground.” Feeney replied: “Unfortunately this is a pig cemetery mate.”

Context and response

The statement proposed using buried pork to prevent a Muslim place of worship from being built. ITV reported that Campbell was elected as a Reform UK councillor in May 2026. On 16 October 2026, ITV reported that he had resigned from Reform UK “by mutual agreement” and had also resigned his role as a Solihull councillor. Solihull Council’s online profile still showed him as a Reform UK councillor and deputy group leader when CLA checked shortly after that report; the official listing appeared not yet to have been updated.

ITV initially said it put its findings to Campbell but had received no response at publication. On 15 October 2026, Campbell published a statement saying the remark had been intended as humour, might in hindsight have been in poor taste and was not intended to cause offence. He apologised if it had caused offence, denied holding racist or sexist views and said he had never discriminated against anyone.

A Reform UK Solihull spokesperson described Campbell’s remark as “a joke in poor taste” made without malicious intent, said he deeply regretted it and said the party would take no further action. ITV’s same report also reproduced Reform UK’s general statement about investigations and suspensions, but did not say that a separate national investigation into Campbell remained open.

Solihull Council leader Karen Grinsell called on Campbell, Feeney and Whelan to resign from the council. ITV reported on 15 October that Campbell remained a Reform UK councillor and deputy group leader, before reporting his resignation from the party and council on 16 October.

Later on 16 October, Grinsell said the council’s monitoring officer had received a number of formal complaints concerning the three former Castle Bromwich councillors. She said the complaints would have been investigated fully had the individuals remained as councillors, but all three had resigned.

On 15 October 2026, Nigel Farage said it was not possible to vet what people might say “especially if they’re provoked in conversation”, said Reform dealt appropriately with people “saying and doing bad things”, and claimed the investigation reflected the establishment wanting Reform “out of the picture”.

Evidence trail

Evidence status

Directly recorded and attributed by ITV Exposure. ITV published the quotation and described the dates and campaign circumstances. The full unedited recording was not publicly available in the source reviewed by CLA.

Party and legal status

On 15 October 2026, Reform UK Solihull said the party would take no further action over Campbell’s remark. On 16 October, ITV reported that Campbell had resigned from Reform UK “by mutual agreement” and resigned his council seat. A party decision or resignation is not an administrative finding, criminal charge or conviction.

Solihull Council confirmed that its monitoring officer had received formal complaints concerning the three former Castle Bromwich councillors. The council leader said the complaints would have been investigated fully had the councillors remained in office, but all three resigned. This confirms that complaints were received; it is not a council standards finding. CLA found no reported council standards finding, criminal charge, conviction or court judgment concerning this recorded statement as of this review.

Last reviewed: 16 October 2026

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