A newly elected Reform UK councillor in Barnsley is facing calls to resign after photographs surfaced appearing to show him with a swastika tattoo on his arm. Andy Arnold, who represents the Wombwell ward on Barnsley Council, was elected earlier this month. The images, which date back to 2018, were posted on a publicly accessible Facebook account linked to a local tattoo studio called Tattoo Wombwell. The studio is registered under Theresa Arnold, another Reform UK councillor believed to be Andy Arnold’s wife.
Symbolism and controversy
The swastika is widely recognized as a hate symbol due to its strong association with Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, and the Holocaust. In response to the allegations, Theresa Arnold told the Sheffield Star that the tattoo had been “misunderstood” and was connected to her husband’s brief interest in Buddhism during his late teens. “He has never been involved with, supported, or held views associated with Nazism or any extremist ideology,” she said. She added that the tattoo had since been covered because people “incorrectly associated it with something entirely different from its original religious context.”
Political backlash
The controversy has drawn sharp criticism from Labour politicians in Barnsley. Dan Jarvis, the Labour MP for Barnsley North, described the reports as “deeply concerning.” He noted that the swastika has symbolized evil, antisemitism, and the murder of millions for over a century. “Regardless of attempts to explain it away, this debacle risks bringing shame on our borough as well as the individual concerned,” Jarvis said. James Higginbottom, leader of the Barnsley Labour group, called for Arnold’s immediate resignation, stating that he is “totally unfit to serve as councillor.” Higginbottom also raised questions about Reform UK’s vetting procedures for candidates.
Reform UK’s response
William Brown, Reform UK’s council leader in Barnsley, defended Arnold in a letter to Higginbottom, asserting that there is no evidence he supports extremist views. Brown described the symbol as “a Buddhist symbol of peace, presented in a non-tilted form that is widely recognised as distinct from the Nazi swastika.” He concluded that no further action is required. Arnold has been approached for comment but has not yet responded.
Broader context
The row comes amid a turbulent period for Reform UK in South Yorkshire following the local elections, despite the party making significant gains across the region. Separately, Nathaniel Menday, a Reform councillor in Sheffield, was suspended after reports linked him to far-right imagery online.
