George Finch, a 19 year-old Reform UK councillor, is the new interim leader of Warwickshire County Council. As of this recent appointment, he is now the youngest council leader ever in the UK. His appointment follows the recent resignation of his predecessor, Rob Howard, who resigned for health reasons. Finch’s remarkable ascendancy to the top of government has ignited a broader discussion about age, ability, race and performance in politics.
At first, Finch wanted to major in history with hopes of one day becoming a high school history teacher. Following the Reform example and motivated by Reform and former Conservative MP Lee Anderson, he decided to go on a different path entirely. He still lives at his family home and has not received a driver’s license yet, underlining his youth even more.
Finch now heads a council with a mighty £2 billion budget. This comes after Reform UK’s astonishing breakthrough during May’s local elections, where the party won 23 seats and became the largest group on the ex-Conservative-run authority. His leadership style has sparked robust debate even on popular initiatives. Another big theme has been the proposal for Nuneaton and Bedworth to create their own town councils.
Since taking office, Finch has been trying to make his mark on the education scene. He even traveled to the United Kingdom to meet with Anjit Samra, CEO of Stowe Valley Multi-Academy Trust. Finch stated, “I don’t have the power to tell him what to do as he’s an academy, but I do have that influence.” His long-standing commitment to education shows his commitment to policy-making that removes barriers for young people and builds pathways for their success.
To hear him tell it, his tenure has not been without controversy. Finch just last month had an ugly public fight with Warwickshire Council’s chief executive, Monica Fogarty. He stood his ground and refused to remove the Progress Pride Flag that was raised outside the council headquarters. His decision received heavy criticism from all sides, but found favor among many of his supporters who admire the president’s willingness to stand up for free expression.
Opposition parties have raised concerns regarding Finch’s plans to recruit political assistants at an estimated cost of £190,000 per year. Critics have called these budget choices criminally misguided and challenged the new administration’s priorities from the get go. In response to all such criticism, Finch doubles down. It doesn’t faze Finch, and he’s hellbent on passing his agenda.
On top of this, Finch has received criticism from many educational institutions. Responding to the National Education Union’s recent denunciation of Reform UK as an “anti-racist and far-fight party,” Finch strongly rejects this characterization. He wants a world where opportunities are based on what you can do, not who you are — a true meritocratic ideal. He remarked, “It’s ‘oh, here’s a job because of your skin colour or your creed or your religion’. No, you get the job because you’re good at it.”
Throughout his unconventional political career, age has been a major issue. Finch answered this bluntly, focusing on the right issue, saying “All I see is age… I don’t care about my age. Would anyone be asking if there was a 70-year-old running the show, at the top? Likely not.” He further elaborated, drawing comparisons with older political figures: “Joe Biden, Donald Trump, presidents that are older – no one questions it. But they’re questioning someone who is 19.
Then against this darkening backdrop of change and challenges, Finch continues, both personally and in terms of the leadership of Warwickshire County Council, to be upbeat about life. As an elected official he is primarily focused on making change that serves the needs and aspirations of his constituents. Simultaneously, he pushes to create a broader, more diverse political landscape.
