Local Politician's AI Images Spark Controversy

The chair of Reform UK in Bracknell, former Conservative councillor Malcolm Tullett, has admitted using AI to create photos for a poster titled "What Happened to Bracknell" that was posted on June 1.

The collage showed nine darkened 'photos' of decay: graffiti and litter, dead fish in a stream dyed electric blue, blister packs and drug vials, a shopping trolley, dead birds, a car doing donuts, and an expensive-looking bike and scooter.

Mr Tullett insisted the images were real. “It’s not made up at all. It’s absolutely genuine. 100 per cent.”

Bracknell MP Peter Swallow checked with the AI language model Google Gemini, which replied: “They haven’t been taken from real-world locations in Bracknell or anywhere else. They are synthetic images designed to illustrate a political or community campaign.”

Tullett later admitted he made six of the photo‑realistic images with ChatGPT and said he had photographed the pills in "a" park, saying it was either Mill Park, South Hill Park or Great Hollands but not specifying which. He said: “I do use AI to generate some of them. They’re all genuine examples of things that can happen [in Brakcnell].”

Peter Swallow criticised the poster: “Last week, residents joined me to pick litter in Priestwood, and I was able to report a case of fly-tipping we spotted to the council.” He added: “Reform Bracknell would prefer to let AI make up problems for them to pretend to solve.” And: “They’re more interested in creating fake news and division than in supporting Bracknell Forest residents.”

Mr Tullett hit back: “He would say that, wouldn’t he? All he’s after is photo opportunities. He’s a fine one to talk.” He also said: “Why is everything going down the tubes? From what I can see at the moment, what I see going on at the Borough Council is abysmal.” “It’s falling apart. We’ll stop all that.”

Tullett said Reform UK is preparing a manifesto for Bracknell due "in the next couple of months" and promised improvements, saying: “Being honest to ourselves, honest to our residents and doing what we were elected to do.” “We’ll be responding to what it is our residents want us to do and what it is they pay for. We won’t be sitting here doing nothing.”

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter