Reform UK suspends four councillors for bringing party into 'disrepute'

Reform UK has suspended four councillors after a video of a tense council meeting was leaked to the press. Footage emerged over the weekend of an online meeting where Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran could be seen berating backbench councillors when they questioned her.

Reform announced today that four councillors had been suspended. A spokesperson said: "Cllrs Paul Thomas, Oliver Bradshaw, Bill Barrett and Maxine Fothergill have had the whip suspended pending investigation, following evidence that they brought the party into disrepute."

It is understood that their suspension relates to the leaked video.

In the clip, reported by the Guardian, Ms Kemkaran told members that KCC - which has an annual budget of more than £2.5 billion - is a "shop window" to show the country that Reform can govern competently.

There has been a rumoured split between many of Kent Reform's backbench councillors and the appointed since they took over.

Ms Kemkaran told her councillors: "I am not a dictator or an autocrat. I like feedback, I like to discuss. I like to hear what everybody thinks.

"However, when it comes to making the really big decisions, and LGR is one of those really big decisions.

"Sometimes I will make a decision that might not be liked by everybody in the group, but I am afraid you are just going to have to f****** suck it up."

Councillor Paul Thomas questioned whether Reform had the "right leader and the right cabinet" before he was muted by Ms Kemkaran.

She said that managing to avoid raising council tax by 5% would be the "best thing" for KCC.

"People are looking at us, they are judging us every single day, every single minute of every single day. Nigel knows that. He is super aware that we are the flagship council," she said.

Reform UK overturned a 30-year Tory majority to take control of Kent County Council (KCC) after winning 57 of the 81 seats at the local elections in May.

KCC opposition leader Liberal Democrat Antony Hook said: "Reform are descending into deeper chaos every day.

"The people of Kent are being let down by an administration that has no idea what it's doing and is breaking its promises on council tax.

"We learned in the leaked video that they have no respect for each other let alone respect for the public."