August 30, 2025
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A Conservative councillor has been suspended from the party after being linked with a far-right, white nationalist organisation by an anti-racist campaign group.

Worthing councillor Tim Wills was alleged to be a supporter of Patriotic Alternative (PA) – a group that claims to want to preserve the ā€œindigenous populationā€ of the UK.

The organisation was founded by Mark Collett, a former publicity director for the British National Party (BNP), in 2019. The far-right group has also been accused of presenting migrants as a ā€œthreat to the survival of white societyā€.

Cllr Wills, who represents Marine Ward, Worthing, joined a regional PA chat group on the messaging platform Telegram in June 2021, according to Hope Not Hate, which published material allegedly posted by the councillor.

Cllr Wills allegedly discussed ā€œwhite genocideā€ during the chat – a conspiracy theory that suggests white people are being ā€œreplacedā€ by non-whites in western nations.

ā€œMy view is Covid is a loss-maker for us,ā€ he reportedly posted. ā€œWe just need to concentrate on white genocide … because many of our white race are convinced about vaccines, but not about our replacement, and need to be informed about this?ā€

In a second message, he allegedly told other members of the group chat to ā€œremember the 14 wordsā€ – referring to a white supremacist slogan, which states: ā€œWe must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.ā€

Mr Wills was also claimed to have criticised the Conservative Party in the group chat, saying the party was ā€œthe worst for talking the talk and never deliveringā€.

ā€œTrying to infiltrate and influence those in power is our initial best way forward as we have no chance of political power any time soon, sadly,ā€ he allegedly said. ā€œMy view is Tories are best of a rotten lot as still have a right-wing minority who are on side.ā€

A spokesperson for the Conservative Party told The Independent: ā€œCllr Tim Wills has been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.ā€

Nick Lowles, CEO at Hope Not Hate, said: ā€œIt is frankly abhorrent that a councillor representing the Conservative Party in Worthing not only actively supports Patriotic Alternative – an antisemitic, white nationalist organisation – but has openly endorsed racist conspiracy theories.

ā€œThe fact that Tim Wills believes that there is a ā€˜right-wing minority’ within the party who support his views could act as a wake-up call to those who still deny the scale of the issue facing the Conservatives when it comes to racism and Islamophobia within its ranks.

ā€œIt is clear that Tim Wills should be immediately expelled from the Conservative Party and lose the whip as a councillor, but it is also time for the Conservative Party, as the party of government, to take serious steps to tackle the threat of far-right extremism within its ranks.ā€

According to Sussex Live, Cllr Tim Wills said ā€œNo comment for me to makeā€ when approached outside his home. The Independent has also contacted the councillor for comment.