Reform UK has unveiled Brexit-backing businessman Arron Banks as one of its candidates in the upcoming Local Elections on May 1.
Banks, 58, is standing as the populist party's mayoral candidate in the West of England.
The ex-Tory donor, who later helped Nigel Farage during his Ukip days and by bankrolling the Leave.EU campaign, will look to secure votes from across Bristol, Bath, North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Declaring his candidacy in Birmingham, Banks said: "Vote Banksy for Bristol."
Arron Banks has been a loyal ally to Nigel Farage
GETTY
Despite admitting that he was “really unpopular in Bristol”, Banks claimed the contest remains a "five-way battle" that Reform could win by "coming through the middle".
Speaking at Reform's rally in Birmingham, Banks said: "I've flown in from Cape Town. I was there for six months. Had a beautiful time, lovely weather, utterly gorgeous. But let's have a look at the screen."
A short clip confirmed Banks was running to become West England Mayor.
Immediately after the clip was shown, the 58-year-old said: "This is my local area. It's the Greens, the Liberals, Labour, they've wrecked the place. It's time to stand up and do something."
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The Clacton MP, who was joined by around 10,000 Reform UK members at the Utilita Arena, set out his stall ahead of a major test for his party on May 1PATaking to the stage alongside ex-Brexit Party MEP David Bull around half-an-hour later, Banks vowed to "audit the hell" out the West of England's three local authorities and show pride in British history by restoring the toppled statue of Edward Colston.
During Farage's crowd-rousing speech, the Reform UK leader also found time to heap praise on Banks.
“Isn’t it great?” Farage said. “Arron Banks - our candidate for West of England Mayor.
“The Guardian will be choking on their bran flakes tomorrow morning… I can't wait.
Arron Banks, Reform's mayoral candidate for the West of England, fires a Reform t-shirt in to the crowd watched by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage during the Reform UK local election launch rally at the Utilita Arena Birmingham
PA
"I think the BBC might struggle a bit too. Oh, and Channel 4 news and many others.”
Banks now joins a star-studded list of Reform UK mayoral candidates, including ex-Tory Minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns and Olympic boxing gold medallist Luke Campbell.
He will also go up against Labour's Helen Godwin, Tory Steve Smith, Mary Page from the Greens, Liberal Democrat Oli Henman and Independent Ian Scott on May 1 for the West of England mayoralty.
Dan Norris, who defeated ex-Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg in North East Somerset in the 2024 General Election, won the mayoralty in 2021 after Tory Tim Bowles won the region's maiden contest in 2017.
