Reform UK has withdrawn support for its council by-election candidate Mike Manning after he was accused of posting racist, antisemitic, and xenophobic comments on social media. Manning, who was set to stand in the Zetland ward by-election in Redcar and Cleveland, apologised and resigned from the party, but his name will remain on the ballot due to electoral law. The party stated that Manning did not declare his social media account during vetting and confirmed he would not be allowed to sit as a Reform UK councillor if elected. Labour and the Liberal Democrats had previously called for his suspension, criticising the party's vetting standards.