Exclusive Interview: "Rising Star" Switches to Restore Britain — "I Want a Political Home That Respects Me"

Kieran Mishchuk, one of the youngest elected councillors in the country, has defected from Reform UK to Restore Britain.

The 19-year-old, who represents Milton Regis on Swale Borough Council in Kent, is now listed under Restore Britain on the council's official website and was welcomed by party leader Rupert Lowe on Wednesday.

https://twitter.com/RupertLowe10/status/2026628350194651293

Mishchuk won his seat in a by-election aged just 18, beating out candidates from all major parties with 272 votes. A water contractor from Sittingbourne who had only left school weeks before his election, he was quickly held up as a symbol of Reform UK's ability to attract young, working-class support. He spoke at the party's South East Conference where he was described as "a rising star making an impact."

But his relationship with the party had been souring for some time.

Speaking exclusively to Restore News, he explained his reasons for making the move.

When did you decide to make the switch, and what was the tipping point?

"It's a tricky question to answer actually because as soon as I heard Rupert for the first time I believed him and when he got kicked out I felt so betrayed by Reform," Mishchuk said. "I had my own issues within Reform going on at the same time so it hit close to home watching them publicly treat him the way they did."

"I remember having plenty of phone calls back then with people asking them to convince me not to leave Reform then. When Restore was set up as a pressure group I joined on Day 1, and was ready for the time that Rupert wanted to go national."

"The tipping point was definitely the moment he launched it because I was speaking at an event in Herne Bay and I said that I think a patriotic movement needs to take charge even if it's not Nigel, and then as soon as I finished the speech I checked my phone and he'd launched it. It's taken me a couple of weeks to come over because a lot of my friends within Reform were trying to convince me to stay."

You were one of Reform UK's youngest success stories — was it a difficult decision to leave?

"It wasn't a difficult decision, my gut was calling for it. My success was down to my own hard work, I burnt bridges in the party when I ran for the by-election because I didn't want Nigel's face over everything. I've not looked back,

I want a political home that respects me rather than control me and treat me like I'm just some young guy that doesn't know anything."

What does Restore Britain offer that Reform didn't?

"Hope and a home. I believe what Rupert says, and I don't believe impossibility is a good excuse to not get behind something. How many battles were deemed unwinnable that Britain won?"

Have other Swale councillors approached you about switching?

"Not really, there was one councillor who spoke to me and sympathised with the idea of Restore."

As the youngest Restore Britain councillor, what's your message to young people thinking about getting involved?

"If you're interested in politics, get involved. If you're worried about the future, get involved. If you believe in the heroes of the past, get involved. You can't complain if you do nothing!"

In this case, it appears that Reforms loss is most certainly Restores gain as the theme continues.

Mishchuk's switch makes him number 14 in a growing wave of Reform UK councillors to join Rupert Lowe's party since it was formally registered on 13 February. At least thirteen more councillors have now defected, including seven from Kent County Council who formed an official Restore Britain group — instantly making it the third largest faction at County Hall.

Other defections include Scott Cameron and Luke Cooper from Warwickshire County Council, Charles Whitford from Leicestershire, and Jack Goncalvez from North Northamptonshire.