By Nick Jackson

Copyright manchestereveningnews

Around 200 Reform UK supporters attended an invitation-only event at Wigan Athletic’s stadium – aimed at encouraging people to stand for election for both parliament and local councils. The event was organised to muster support for Reform’s candidate Lee Moffitt in the October 2 council by-election in the Wigan Central ward following the recent death of Labour councillor George Davies. The ‘town hall’ event was broadcast live on YouTube and other Reform social media channels and saw an address by party chairman Dr David Bull. To see planning applications; traffic and road diversions and layout changes; and more, visit the Public Notices Portal HERE Dr Bull stopped short of claiming that his party – leading the polls at about 30 per cent – could eventually take control of Wigan council. The authority is currently dominated by Labour on 62 councillors, with only one Conservative councillor and 10 Independents. “I think we will do well in Wigan at the May local elections next year,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service . “I don’t know whether we’ll take control of the council – I’m not a betting man, but if you look across the board at traditional Labour areas, we are seeing something I have never seen before in British politics. “What we’re seeing is the tribal decimation of the two monolithic parties. The Labour vote, for example, is collapsing left, right and centre.” Dr Bull added he hoped that Reform could show that they could ‘deliver at local level’. “That’s what we’re doing with the councils and by doing that, showing people that we can get value for money, they will then back us in the General Election,” he said. “The tribal mentality has now changed. Anything is possible. I will be very happy to get Reform councillors in Wigan, but equally, if we were to take control I would be very happy indeed. Never miss a story with the MEN’s daily Catch Up newsletter – get it in your inbox by signing up here Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE “My presence here is to support the Reform people in this area and to get people to sign up to stand in local elections and parliamentary elections and to galvanise support as we go towards a General Election. “I’ve seen 5,000 people over the last three-and-a-half months and actually we’re building this party from the ground up and not the top down.. That’s why I think we’re making such a difference.” Dr Bull is advocating a reversal of policies including 20mph speed zones in urban areas, and is against ‘roads being ripped up to create cycle superhighways’. Reform is also advocating the creation of a department of national infrastructure. He went on: “We talk about things for a long time, whether it’s power, for example, and nuclear power stations, roads, by-passes, nothing ever gets done. “Look at the debacle over Heathrow Airport and the runway. I think the Europeans have quite a good model for this. If you look at Spain, they’re very good at building roads and so on. Asked whether Reform believes in large-scale public investment into infrastructure, he said: “100 per cent, yes.” Join our Manc Life WhatsApp group HERE