The Walsall People’s Alliance has been launched by two former Reform councillors, with a third joining shortly after. Councillor Daniel Rollinson, ward member for New Invention, and Councillor Bella Simon, ward member for Short Heath, founded the group. Councillor Robin Perry, ward member for Harden, Goscote and Ryecroft, later joined them.
All three were elected as Reform members in the May 2026 local elections but have since left or been suspended from the group. The new alliance says it stands for “democracy, honesty, community first, unity and real change”.
Attack on Reform leadership
At the last full council meeting, Councillor Rollinson launched a scathing attack on Reform leader Councillor Elaine Williams. He said people in Walsall are “living under a dictatorship”. He also accused Councillor Williams of giving “Keir Starmer a run for his money with the number of U-turns”.
Councillor Williams did not respond to the attack at the meeting. However, deputy leader Councillor Nicky Barker said if councillors “want the truth to come out” then they should give permission to publicly share emails between them and the leaders. No permission was given.
Departures and suspensions
Councillor Simon was removed from the Reform group in July. In September she accused the Reform leadership of abandoning the principles of “democracy and free speech”. Councillor Perry was suspended just days after the May elections. On his departure he described Walsall Reform as “like Mussolini’s government”.
Despite the defections, Reform still holds a large majority at the council with 37 out of 60 seats. Councillor Rollinson was elected for a one-year term and will have to contest his seat in May 2027, while Councillors Simon and Perry were both elected for a two-year term.
