Reform UK Councillor "Should Resign" Over Threat

A Reform UK county councillor is being urged to resign over a WhatsApp message in which he spoke about wanting to punch a colleague in the face.

Cllr Peter Osborne has apologised for his part in an exchange last month discussing the leaking of a video showing a heated internal party meeting.

He wrote: “I’m hoping this mole is a bloke so I can punch him right in the jaw.”

The group chat, which involved dozens of members, was speculating about who leaked the video to a national newspaper in which council leader Linden Kemkaran swore and shouted at her members.

Cllr Osborne, who is the cabinet member for transport and highways, says the comment was made out of “frustration” rather than “malice”.

But KCC opposition leader, Cllr Antony Hook, (pictured below) says Cllr Osborne must go.

Cllr Hook said: “These revelations of a Reform UK councillor appearing to make a threat to another are shocking.

“[Reform members] seem to have no respect for each other or their role. We can assume they have no respect for the public.

“The councillor who threatened his own colleague should resign from the council.”

Reform UK head office in London refused to comment but Cllr Osborne, who represents Hythe West division, released a short statement to explain his actions.

He said: “I said what I said in anger at the betrayal of a number of individuals who I had considered my friends and colleagues.

“I’m glad that distraction is now behind us, and we are continuing to deliver for the people of Kent at lightning speed, saving tens of millions of pounds and fixing tens of thousands of potholes.

“However, I accept that is never an excuse for violence. That was never my intention. My comments were made out of frustration at the circumstances, which I’m sure many will understand, rather than malice.”

In a further development, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands Kent Police was contacted over a separate “violent” message from an elected member but decided not to proceed with an investigation.

The councillor who approached the force, who has asked not to be named, said: “I am disappointed but not entirely surprised.

“The police gave their reasons and I have to accept them but I’m certainly not happy with it.”

Officers had confirmed that a complaint had been received and that the complainant had been contacted for further details.

LDRS has received dozens of screen-grabbed WhatsApp messages between Reform councillors, some expressing serious concerns about the style of leadership at the top of KCC.

Reform UK swept into office in May, taking 57 of the 81 seats but has so far been reduced to 48.

Seven councillors have been expelled in the aftermath of the leaked video, one defected to Ukip and another was suspended while he awaits criminal trial.

No councillor has been identified as the source of the Guardian’s original, although Cllr Kemkaran claims to know their identity.

The saga unfolding at County Hall comes ahead of two important milestones for the council’s long-term and short-term future.

The first is local government reorganisation (LGR) in which KCC, along with all the other councils in Kent, move to a “unitary” system of local government.

This will involve all 14 authorities abolishing themselves to be replaced by three or four larger unitaries which the government believes will be more efficient and empower decision makers.

The other big development is budget setting, which critics say could expose Reform UK’s weakness in leading a huge council like KCC with a 1.6m population and a turnover of £2.5bn.