Reform UK candidate slams Labour-run council's £30k spend on asylum seekers

Reform UK candidate Helen Voegt, deputy chairwoman of the party's Blackburn branch, publicly criticised the Labour‑run Darwen Borough Council for allocating £30,000 of taxpayer money to support asylum seekers' mental health services. The criticism came in the wake of a press report on 30 January 2026 that highlighted how the council had spent the sum on mental‑health support for migrants in Lancashire. Voegt said the money was misdirected away from local residents, adding that the £30k spend reflected a ‘running scared’ strategy that undermined the priorities of ordinary citizens. The incident has intensified calls within the Reform movement to demand better fiscal responsibility and to scrutinise local council spending on non‑resident support programs.