Richard Barker

Key Facts#

The AGM appointment#

At the Reform UK Cornwall AGM on 19 May 2026, Barker was elected Deputy Group Leader of the Reform UK group on Cornwall Council — the post left vacant when Roger Tarrant defected to Restore Britain on 21 April 2026. He was the only applicant for the post and was appointed without contest. Group Leader Paul Ashton remained in post.

The vacancy was the second deputy-leader change inside seven months. Original deputy Rowland O'Connor resigned the Reform whip in October 2025 in the aftermath of the Highwayman pub row at Dobwalls; Tarrant replaced him and defected six months later. Barker is the third holder of the role inside a single municipal year.

Attendance: 83rd of 87#

Across his first municipal year, Barker recorded 69% committee attendance — ranked 83rd of 87 of Cornwall's 87 councillors by Local Democracy UK. It is the third-worst rate in the chamber and the lowest of any current Reform UK group officer.

“As Deputy Group Leader of Reform UK, this is a governance credibility problem. He was absent for 5 of 16 committee meetings, and while all absences had apologies filed, the volume is notably high for a senior party figure.”— Cornwall Political Watch editorial assessment

Committee load

Barker holds five Cornwall Council committee or outside-body appointments alongside a full-time role at Vodafone UK's Newbury headquarters and two active company directorships.

The CING by-election letter#

Two months after five Reform UK councillors resigned the whip to sit as Cornwall Independents Non Group (CING) in October 2025, Barker wrote to then-group-leader Rob Parsonage publicly demanding that the defectors trigger by-elections in their seats. The letter was reported by Cornwall Live on 19 December 2025.

“As leader of your group I think it's clear from the results today in St Columb Minor and Colan division that the electorate has maintained their confidence in Reform UK and elected an excellent local candidate in Cllr Heinz Glanville replacing Christine Parsonage.”— Richard Barker, letter to Rob Parsonage, December 2025

Approved conflicts of interest#

Four committee-membership conflicts of interest have been approved by Cornwall Political Watch's editorial review on 25 March 2026, with severity recorded as potential in each case. Approved conflicts are mirrored as red flags on Barker's councillor profile.

Business interests#

Companies House records two active companies under Barker's directorship, both incorporated in May 2024 — approximately one year before he was elected to Cornwall Council.

The section 32 sensitive land interest#

Section 32 of the Localism Act 2011 lets a councillor withhold the detail of a registered interest from public view where disclosure could create a risk of violence or intimidation. The withholding mechanism is lawful and signed off by the monitoring officer; the interest itself remains registered. Two current Cornwall councillors — Richard Barker and Angus Black — use it specifically for land interests, which is unusual in the chamber.

“There is an interest relevant to this section the details of which are withheld as a sensitive interest under S.32 of the Localism Act 2011.”— Cllr Richard Barker's Register of Interests, Cornwall Council

Timeline#

Frequently asked questions#

Who is Richard Barker?

Richard Barker is the Reform UK councillor for St Newlyn East, Cubert & Goonhavern on Cornwall Council, elected on 1 May 2025 with 647 votes (31%). On 19 May 2026 he was elected Deputy Group Leader of the Reform UK group on Cornwall Council — uncontested, as the sole applicant for the post — replacing Roger Tarrant, who defected to Restore Britain on 21 April 2026.

Was Richard Barker elected Deputy Group Leader unopposed?

Yes. At the Reform UK Cornwall AGM on 19 May 2026, Barker was the only applicant for the Deputy Group Leader post and was appointed without a contested vote. Group Leader Paul Ashton remained in post. The deputy leadership had been vacant since 21 April 2026 when Roger Tarrant defected to Restore Britain.

What is Richard Barker's attendance record?

Barker's committee attendance for his first municipal year is 69% — ranked 83rd of 87 Cornwall councillors and the third-worst in the chamber, according to Local Democracy UK. He was absent from 5 of 16 committee meetings; all absences had apologies filed.

Is Richard Barker a director of any companies?

Yes. Companies House lists Barker as a director of two active companies — Penhallow House Ltd (Company No. 15700874), registered as holiday accommodation at TR8 5NH and incorporated on 2 May 2024, and Cornish Originals CIC (Company No. 15707883), a community interest company incorporated on 8 May 2024. Both were incorporated approximately one year before he stood for election.

What conflicts of interest have been flagged?

Cornwall Political Watch's editorial review approved four potential committee-membership conflicts on 25 March 2026: two relating to Barker's Vodafone UK employment overlapping with his seats on the Budget Development and Corporate Finance & Performance overview-and-scrutiny committees, and two relating to his glamping-business directorship of Penhallow House Ltd against the same two committees. Severity is recorded as 'potential' in each case.

What is the section 32 sensitive land interest?

Barker's published Register of Interests on Cornwall Council carries the line: 'There is an interest relevant to this section the details of which are withheld as a sensitive interest under S.32 of the Localism Act 2011.' Section 32 allows a councillor's monitoring officer to withhold the detail of a registered interest where disclosure could create a risk of violence or intimidation; the interest is still registered, just not visible to the public. Cllr Angus Black uses the same mechanism for a land interest.

Sources & methodology#

This dossier draws exclusively on publicly available records and mainstream reporting: Cornwall Council's democracy portal (committee appointments, attendance, and the published Register of Interests), Companies House, Local Democracy UK, Cornwall Live, Voice Newspapers, and Cornwall Political Watch's own editorial review of conflict-of-interest flags. No private or restricted databases were accessed.