The situation
Luke Campbell, the mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, is currently under investigation by Humberside police. The allegations involve claims that he showed "naked and sexualised" images of himself to a senior female colleague at work back in May. The staffer, who was reportedly a contractor at the time, claims she was pressured into leaving her position just three weeks after the alleged incident—right after she had accepted an offer for a permanent role.
The fallout
The complainant has been vocal about the impact of the incident, stating in a witness document that she felt "shocked, embarrassed and humiliated." According to the report, she says she was shown the images without her consent and was mocked when she reacted with embarrassment. Another colleague has backed up her account, claiming they saw Campbell and two other men bring a female employee to a computer, where they viewed an image of a tattooed, naked man. That witness noted the mayor then lifted his shirt to reveal a matching tattoo.
The defense
Reform UK has stated that Campbell "firmly denies" the claims, labeling the complaint as a move by a "disgruntled employee" trying to gain leverage in a workplace dispute. Nadine Dorries, a party member, attempted to explain the images as a 2013 magazine cover featuring Campbell after his 2012 Olympic gold win. However, witnesses have pushed back, noting the images they saw involved details—like specific tattoos—that don't match that magazine cover.
Why it matters
This is a major headache for Reform UK, which is already under fire following a separate investigation into racist comments made by party members. With local government standards and an active police probe underway, the plot thickens for the party's internal reputation as they try to manage these allegations alongside broader disciplinary investigations.
