Photo: LinkedIn
Andrea Lovett
Campaign Manager & County Organiser (East), Reform UK Cornwall
Andrea Lovett is the strategist behind Reform UK's significant breakthrough in the May 2025 Cornwall Council elections, where the party won 28 seats — the largest single group. She is not an elected councillor but wields significant influence as Campaign Manager and County Organiser (East). Since the election, the party she helped build has collapsed to 23 seats amid internal infighting in which she was directly involved.
Key Facts
- Reform UK Cornwall County Organiser (East) and Campaign Manager — not an elected councillor
- Architect of Reform UK's 28-seat breakthrough in the May 2025 Cornwall Council elections
- Lodged a formal licensing review against Boardmasters Festival over the booking of punk duo Bob Vylan (Sep 2025) — later withdrew the complaint
- Central figure in the October 2025 Highwayman pub row that triggered the Reform UK Cornwall leadership crisis
- Director of two active companies: The Menopause Lab Limited and Pearson Road (Plymouth) Management Company Limited
- Reform UK Cornwall has collapsed from 28 to 23 seats since the election, losing largest-party status to the Liberal Democrats
| Full Name | Andrea Karen Lovett |
| Role | Campaign Manager & County Organiser (East), Reform UK Cornwall |
| Status | Party Official (Not Elected) |
| Location | St. Austell, Cornwall |
| Date of Birth | July 1968 (per Companies House) |
| eastcornwall@reformuk.com |
28
Seats won (May 2025)
23
Seats now (Mar 2026)
2
Active companies
0
Elections contested
Boardmasters Festival Challenge
In September 2025, Lovett lodged a formal application to review the licence of Boardmasters Festival, citing "safety risks" associated with the booking of punk duo Bob Vylan. She claimed the band's inclusion "undermined the licensing objectives" and cited a crowd surge in 2024 as context, though her objection focused on the band's political content. The move was widely interpreted as a culture-war tactic using statutory licensing powers.
“The inclusion of the musical act Bob Vylan in the Boardmasters Festival 2025 line-up undermines the licensing objectives... [Boardmasters] has a history of safety and crowd management challenges.”— Andrea Lovett, licensing review complaint
Outcome
The complaint generated significant press coverage from BBC News, NME, and Falmouth Packet. Lovett withdrew the complaint before the hearing, confirming the action was a political protest using administrative processes rather than a genuine safety concern.
“My sole intention was to protest about Bob Vylan performing, and I had no desire to stop the 2026 festival.”— Andrea Lovett, on withdrawing the complaint
Why this matters
- A party official used statutory licensing powers to target an artist over political content — then admitted the complaint was never intended to succeed
- The tactic mirrors national Reform UK “culture war” strategy applied at a local level through administrative processes
- Boardmasters is a major Cornish cultural event — using licensing reviews as protest tools wastes council resources and creates uncertainty for organisers
The Highwayman Pub Row
A major internal confrontation occurred during a Reform UK social event at The Highwayman pub in Dobwalls. A leaked audio recording captured a heated exchange between Alison Groves (County Organiser West), Cllr Rob Parsonage (then Reform leader), and supporters. Lovett was a central figure in the factional dispute — a Reform supporter publicly defended her and Groves during the confrontation.
“People like you should be ashamed of yourselves for speaking to Alison and Andrea (Lovett, the county organiser east) like that, it is disgusting.”— Reform UK supporter, addressing Cllr Rob Parsonage
“Horrible, odious, odious little man.”— Reform UK supporter, describing Cllr Rob Parsonage
Aftermath
- Cllr Rob Parsonage resigned as Reform UK Cornwall leader
- Paul Ashton elected as new Reform UK Cornwall group leader
- Five councillors left the Reform UK group in the following weeks
- The incident was witnessed by families with children at the pub
Listen to the full recording and read the transcript on the Reform UK in Cornwall investigation page.
Business Interests
Companies House records reveal two active directorships under the name Andrea Karen Lovett.
The Menopause Lab Limited
Active| Company No. | 13995444 |
| Role | Director |
| Appointed | 22 March 2022 |
| SIC Code | N/A |
Menopause health and education business with an online community of 55,600+ members on the Skool platform.
Pearson Road (Plymouth) Management Company Limited
Active| Company No. | 15937511 |
| Role | Director |
| Appointed | 5 September 2024 |
| SIC Code | 98000 (Residents property management) |
Property management company for a residential development.
Reform UK Cornwall Collapse
The party Lovett helped build to 28 seats — the largest single group on Cornwall Council — has haemorrhaged members since the October 2025 Dobwalls incident. Reform UK Cornwall now sits at 23 seats, behind the Liberal Democrats on 26.
May 2025
28
Reform UK seats
Leader: Rob Parsonage
March 2026
23
Reform UK seats
Leader: Paul Ashton
Key Departures
| Name | Former Role | Outcome | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rowland O'Connor | Deputy Leader | Resigned from Reform entirely, now CING | October 2025 |
| Rob Parsonage | Group Leader | Resigned, then defected to Conservative Party | February 2026 |
| Anna Thomason-Kenyon | Councillor | Resigned to CING | October 2025 |
| Karen Knight | Councillor | Resigned to CING | October 2025 |
| Christine Parsonage | Councillor | Resigned (health grounds) | October 2025 |
Timeline
Appointed Reform UK County Organiser (East Cornwall)
Reform UK wins 28 seats in Cornwall Council elections — Lovett served as Campaign Manager
Defends Reform UK's "county flags only" policy in media, attacking Lib Dems as "whipping up total twaddle"
Lodges formal licensing review against Boardmasters Festival over Bob Vylan booking
Withdraws Boardmasters complaint after significant press backlash
Pub row at The Highwayman, Dobwalls — confrontation with Cllr Rob Parsonage during Ann Widdecombe event
Cllr Rob Parsonage resigns as Reform leader; Paul Ashton elected new leader
Reform UK loses 5 councillors; drops from 28 to 23 seats
Reform UK Cornwall Facebook page restructuring controversy — branch chairs removed
Reform UK group votes against Cornwall Council budget
Cllr Rob Parsonage defects to Conservative Party
For more on Reform UK's internal crisis in Cornwall, see the Dobwalls incident section on the main Reform UK investigation page.
Sources & Methodology
This investigation draws on publicly available records including BBC News, NME, Cornwall Live, The Guardian, Falmouth Packet, Companies House filings, and Cornwall Council licensing records. No private or restricted databases were accessed.
| Source | Detail |
|---|---|
| Companies House | Andrea Karen LOVETT — personal appointments (March 2026) |
| NME | "Boardmasters' licence is at risk over Bob Vylan's performance" (September 2025) |
| BBC News | "Boardmasters licence at risk over Bob Vylan set at festival" (September 2025) |
| Cornwall Live | "Reform responds to concerns about future of Cornish flag" (May 2025) |
| Cornwall Live | "The Cornwall Reform pub row in front of families" (October 2025) |
| The Guardian | "When reality bites: the rapid rise and chaotic fall of Reform UK in Cornwall" (November 2025) |
| Cornwall Live | "Former Reform UK leader jumps ship to the Tories" (February 2026) |
| Cornwall Council | Contact details for local political groups |
| Falmouth Packet | Review of Boardmasters' licence after Bob Vylan appearance (September 2025) |
Corrections & contact
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