An 18-year-old councillor has been put in charge of a multi-million-pound county council after the recently elected Reform UK leader stepped down for health reasons.
George Finch, who only recently switched allegiance from the Conservatives to Reform UK, is now interim leader of Warwickshire County Council – one of the largest local authorities in the Midlands – despite still being in his teens.
He takes over from Reform Councillor Rob Howard, who quit his post with immediate effect just weeks after the party’s shock gains in the May local elections saw it form a minority administration in Warwickshire for the first time.
In a brief statement, Mr Howard, who had been at the helm for less than two months, said the decision was made ‘with much regret’.
‘The role of leader is an extremely demanding role and regretfully my health challenges now prevent me from carrying out the role to the level and standard that I would wish,’ he added.
He went on to confirm that Mr Finch, his teenage deputy and fellow Reform UK councillor, would now serve as acting leader until a permanent replacement is chosen.
Mr Finch, councillor for Bedworth Central, now finds himself in charge of a local authority with over £1.5 billion in assets and a revenue budget of around £500 million.
He has not yet commented on the appointment.
Just earlier this month, Mr Howard told the BBC he was ‘not intimidated’ by the scale of the task at Warwickshire County Council and seemed optimistic about the Reform-led administration’s ability to deliver results.
Despite stepping down from the leadership, Mr Howard said he would remain a councillor and continue to represent his local constituents.
‘I am honoured and privileged to have held the role, even if only for a short time,’ he said.
‘I remain committed to my continued role working as a county councillor for the benefit of Warwickshire residents.’
Before joining Reform UK, he was a member of the Conservative Party for just three months.
He reportedly switched allegiance after concluding that Reform would take a tougher stance on illegal immigration — an issue he described as central to his political beliefs.
On the New Reformer website, Mr Finch outlines his views under three core themes: ‘Brexit, sovereignty and a strong and united family unit.’
Reform UK, led nationally by Nigel Farage, made unexpected strides in the local elections earlier this year, gaining council seats in areas previously considered solidly Conservative or Labour.
Warwickshire was among the party’s most striking victories, with Reform overtaking the Tories as the largest group, though without an outright majority.
MailOnline has contacted George Finch for comment.