'Don't talk to the Press', Reform MP Lee Anderson tells election candidates during visit to Wednesbury

Reform MP Lee Anderson told his party’s election candidates in Sandwell not to talk to the Press during a visit to the Black Country.

Mr Anderson met candidates at The Brunswick pub in Wednesbury before going on a walkabout in Great Bridge.

Unaware that the Express & Star had been invited to the event, Mr Anderson told election hopefuls not to speak to the media.

“Just remember one thing, they can’t blame you lot for anything,” he said.

“Let me give you a word of advice, beware of the media, don’t speak to them, you’ve no need to, you’ve actually no need to speak to the papers, TV and radio at all.”

There were roars of laughter when it was pointed out that the Express & Star was in the room, and Mr Anderson continued: “Don’t talk to them, they’re not your friends, they’re here to trip you up, they’re here to catch you out, they’re looking for clicks that’s what they’re doing.

“We’ve noticed it in our area, the media are doing a Reform story every single day, now sometimes twice a day.

“Every single day they try, they’re frightened because there’s going to be a reckoning on Thursday.”

Mr Anderson, a presenter on GB News, told candidates that success in the local elections would help build a party base that would be vital to the next General Election.

He joked about his expulsion from the House of Commons last month for unparliamentary language when he accused the Prime Minister of lying about Lord Mandelson.

“I’m the pantomime villain, but I know I’m saying the right thing when I come out to places like this, people tell me. When they stop telling, me, I can stop saying it.

“Normal people say what I think and what you lot think, and I think that’s the problem with Westminster now, they spend too much time sipping Prosecco at dinner parties.”

He told them that elections were the only time when everybody in the country was equal, that rich or poor, they each had one vote each.

Speaking to the Express & Star during his walkabout in Great Bridge, Mr Anderson defended his comments.

“I would say to them is be very careful what you say to these gutter journalists, because they’re after that one thing, that ‘gotcha’ moment, that’s how you make your living,” he said.

“You’ve got a job to do, you’ve got a living to make, but what I will say to you is I think the Reform councils that we took over last May, especially places like Nottinghamshire and Kent and Lancashire were doing a crappy job, and people see through you know, they see what you’re trying to do.”

When asked about the performance of Staffordshire Council, Mr Anderson said: “I’ve not had much to do with Staffordshire to be honest. The good thing about our candidates is we’ve got a great mix between experienced councillors and some that have never been in politics before, so they can go in with a fresh set of eyes, ask questions and challenge officers, and there’s going to be pushback from officers.

“And while we have had some problems in some councils, it’s usually officers with a political agenda that are pushing back working for the people.

“You’ve seen the support we’ve got around here. It’s about time you journalists and newspapers got with the script.”