A branch of the Reform UK party has issued an apology after publishing artificially generated photographs depicting a village cleanup event. Volunteers had participated in tidying a road in Sarre, Kent, as part of Clean Up Britain Day.
However, the "before and after" images shared online by the party's Herne Bay and Sandwich branch quickly drew scrutiny. Local councillors pointed out discrepancies, such as newly painted fencing with an additional slat, a resurfaced footpath, and a car that remained in the identical position in both the doctored "before" and "after" shots.
Mike Sole, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Canterbury City Council, described the incident as "a lesson in how not to use AI." He noted that the unchanged car, clouds, and shadows in the photos, despite purported rapid improvements, suggested the images were not genuine.
The original Facebook post has since been amended to include a photograph of the actual cleanup effort. In a subsequent post, the Reform UK branch stated that the incorrect image was posted due to an "administrative oversight." The branch clarified that its local Facebook page is managed by unpaid volunteers and operates independently of Reform UK headquarters and its official public relations team.
"While the image used was incorrect, the community clean-up work at the entrance to Sarre village did take place as described," the apology read. "We sincerely apologize for this mistake and for any confusion or misunderstanding it may have caused."
This incident follows a previous controversy involving Kent County Council, which is led by Reform UK members. The council faced criticism after removing Victorian cast-iron lamp-posts from a street in Canterbury, citing the high cost of maintenance.