Vic Flowers, 74, has announced he is standing as a Reform UK candidate in the Oldham Council local elections. The Barmy Army, the official England cricket supporters' club, issued a statement distancing itself from Flowers. The group said Flowers is not an active member, employee, or affiliated with the Barmy Army in any official capacity. It added that any views attributed to Flowers do not reflect the group's values, and that it does not endorse any political agenda, candidate, or campaign.
Flowers, who is standing in the Medlock Vale ward in east Manchester, said he was motivated to stand because many people are 'fed up' and he is attracted to Nigel Farage. According to Daily Mail - News, Flowers described Farage as a good leader and compared him to the need for leadership in the Barmy Army. Flowers said he believes a vote for him would be a 'protest vote' but that Reform could offer the area 'a bit of hope'. It is unclear what specific policies Flowers supports or whether he was ever an official member of the Barmy Army.
We wish to be clear that the individual referred to in recent media coverage, in connection with his candidacy for Reform UK at a local election, is not an active member of the Barmy Army, nor is he employed by, or affiliated with, the Barmy Army in any official capacity.
Any views attributed to him do not reflect the views, values or position of the Barmy Army as an organisation or its wider support community.
The Barmy Army does not endorse any political agenda, candidate or campaign, and remains entirely focused on supporting England cricket in a way that unites and celebrates our supporters.
He is quite a good leader, and, just like in The Barmy Army, you must have a leader, a good leader. Farage is cut out for that. I'll follow him...
Since Margaret Thatcher we have not had anything like a leader in this country, and I think that is what is needed, leadership.