Hillingdon councillor criticised over immigration comment

Sophie Dror, the leader of Reform UK on Hillingdon Council, has been accused of "stoking hatred" after posting a comment about immigration on a social media group. The remark was made shortly after a machete attack in Uxbridge on 25 September.

The incident occurred at Cowley Recreation Ground at approximately 2.40pm. Emergency services attended and treated a man in his 50s for injuries that were not life-threatening. Two teenagers were subsequently arrested in connection with the attack and later released on bail pending further inquiries. The Metropolitan Police have not released any information regarding the suspects' backgrounds.

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Accusations of inciting hatred

Councillor Stuart Mathers, leader of Hillingdon Labour, criticised Councillor Dror for her comment, which appeared under a post about the Uxbridge incident. The account associated with Dror, named Reform Yiewsley Councillors, posted: “import the 3rd world you get the 3rd world” in response to another group member's comment about "usual suspects". Mathers stated that Dror was "speculating [on] the ethnicity" and that "stoking hatred in our communities is not helpful in keeping our residents safe."

Dror has taken responsibility for the comment but rejected the accusation of "stoking hatred". She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the remark was intended for a broader discussion about immigration policies and mass migration, and not to make any assertion about the ethnicity or nationality of the individuals involved in the Cowley incident. She acknowledged that, given the timing and context, the comment could have been misinterpreted.

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Dror added that she did not personally delete the comment and could not explain why it was removed. She stated that Reform UK has consistently expressed strong views on immigration and mass migration, and she stands by the importance of that wider political debate. She emphasised that this should not be conflated with speculation about the identity or background of those involved in the specific incident.