In the UK, councillors are supposed to support local people. However, Reform councillor Joe Standen seems to think his job is to attack and make fun of residents who are doing what they can to educate the city’s youth.
The X post below reads:
Reform UK’s Joe Standen has taken to his Facebook to call a series of local story telling events in Portsmouth “mental”. Bravo to the “woman with yellow hair” who replied to his rant to give the context he was missing.
Reform UK’s @JoeMStanden has taken to his Facebook to call a series of local story telling events in Portsmouth ‘mental’.
Bravo to the ‘woman with yellow hair’ who replied to his rant to give the context he was missing.
Who remembers when Councillors used to champion their… pic.twitter.com/UQAs8cakL4
— Reform UK Exposed
(@reformexposed) August 11, 2026
Reform councillor bashed ‘nonsense’ event
The event in question was organised by Pamodzi Creatives, a community interest company in Southsea that “uses creativity, storytelling and cultural engagement to celebrate inspirational stories, promote equality, celebrate diversity and challenge discrimination”, its website says.
In the offending message, Standen was responding to a post from The News, Portsmouth which read:
Young children can celebrate their local heroes at series of storytelling events across Portsmouth
Standen wrote:
Let’s not let geography get in the way of a good bit of diversity!
A woman with yellow hair, holding up a Zimbabwe flag, celebrating local heroes in Portsmouth???
Have you ever seen such nonsense in all your life!Is it me or is the country just going completely mental in front of our very eyes
Portsmouth is famously a naval city, and as such you’d expect it to have some connections to the wider world. That’s how seafaring traditionally worked, you see; people would fare across the sea and they would see things. As such, it doesn’t take a genius to understand that Portsmouth’s story is one of how Britain connects to the world.
Nathalie with the yellow hair schools Standen
The maligned educator, Nathalie Millyard, who’s delivery lead at Pamodzi Creatives, had this to say in response:
I have never commented on anyone’s appearance and don’t believe I have the right to do so.
I love my yellow hair very much, I have always coloured my hair since being old enough to decide to do so. My hair colour and my gender should not be commented on in regards to this post.
Zimbabwe is a country that connects two of the women in the stories, one of the props I use for storytelling, I also have props connected to The Royal Navy, the seaside, art materials and even some mango fruits.
I have really enjoyed reading the stories of three women who have contributed to our city by campaigning for change through better maternity rights within the navy, support groups for people living [with] HIV and supporting mental health, and providing a safe space for people to work and belong in our city.
I am a self employed creative arts practitioner who has worked with children and young people for many years, as well [as] working [as] a musician, running a wedding band, and singing in care homes. I am also an actor and I love all that I do xx
Reform is proving not to be anything to admire
At this moment in time, people have a choice over who they choose to look up to in Britain. On the one hand, you have people who work to support, enhance, and celebrate their local area and on the other, you have Reform councillors like Joe Standen.
Standen is far from the worst Reform councillor we’ve reported on, but he is a good example of how these people work to drive a wedge between us all. Don’t let them get away with it.
Featured image via The News/ Pamodzi Creatives
By Willem Moore
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