Reform UK Suspends 4 Councillors

A day of drama at County Hall has seen Kent County Council's Reform UK leader declare “business as usual” despite the suspension of four colleagues.

Reform UK says the party leadership fully supports Cllr Linden Kemkaran despite a major backlash over a leaked video which has been likened to the viral Jackie Weaver clip from 2021.

Paul Thomas (Maidstone South), Oliver Bradshaw (Maidstone Central), Maxine Fothergill (Sevenoaks Rural North East) and Bill Barrett (Ashford Rural South) have had the party whip removed.

This is pending an investigation into the leaking of the video showing a private Zoom meeting of senior party members in August.

In it, Cllr Kemkaran mutes Cllr Thomas, who repeatedly presses her on the party’s policy towards Local Government Reorganisation.

Before she does so, Cllr Thomas (pictured below) says: “The question is…is that the right leader and the right cabinet?”

During the discussion, Cllr Kemkaran tells colleagues: “You are just going to have to f****** suck it up.”

After the video came to light on Saturday afternoon, she sent a message to all KCC Reform councillors warning them a “thorough investigation” had been launched.

And she said those responsible for the “cowardly” leak were “weak” and “foolish” to have committed such an act of “treachery”.

Arriving at County Hall for a cabinet meeting this morning, she said it was “business as usual at KCC”, while her deputy, Cllr Brian Collins, said: “We’ve still got a job to do and we’ve got to get on and do it.”

However, Cllr Fothergill, (pictured below) who earlier said she would be taking legal advice, arrived for a home-to-school transport appeal hearing in tears.

She said: “I can’t believe they’ve done this to me. I have done nothing wrong – I’ve been in tears all morning. I am so upset.”

In a further blow, she was told by council officers that she would not be able to chair the hearing as planned, as she no longer had her party whip.

She was replaced by the Conservative group leader, Cllr Harry Rayner, who was with her a short time later when she handed in her council laptop to the KCC IT department.

He said: “She didn’t tell me she had been told to hand it in, but it was obvious she had been told. As she handed it over, the person who spoke to her said ‘You’re the first’.”

Before departing County Hall, she added: “I strongly deny these allegations that I was the source of the leaked video reported this weekend.

“I have requested a full list from the IT department of all those who downloaded the footage to [prove] beyond doubt that I was not the source.

“Reform UK has a once-in-a-lifetime generation mission to save our country. Distractions like this will only play into the hands of our opponents.

“I look forward to rejoining my colleagues when this process is concluded, my name is cleared, and the real culprits are held to account.”

Fellow suspended councillor, Paul Thomas, also protested his innocence, saying: “It’s true I have been temporarily suspended from the whip but I will continue to do my duty to those who elected me.

“An inquiry is ongoing which I am fully working with and I expect to be wholly exonerated and reinstated within the party and continue as a Reform councillor.”

Cllr Bradshaw and Cllr Barrett have not yet commented.

Cllr Kemkaren, who represents Maidstone South East, has been criticised for her colourful language and leadership style, with one backbencher telling KentOnline they were looking to gain the five signatures necessary to call for a vote of no confidence in her as KCC.

They said: “I am going to try and get the signatures I need to call a vote of no confidence and then I can voice the things that need to be said.”

Although suspended from the party, the four remain county councillors and could still sign such a motion, if that were their intention.

Meanwhile, Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice has backed Cllr Kemkaran, saying in a television interview that it was right that vigorous debates are had when discussing major issues.

However, the opposition parties at County Hall have lined up to criticise her.

Green Group leader Cllr Mark Hood said: “While every political group will have its differences, they are usually resolved by reasoned debate.

“I have never seen members disrespected in this manner. Being told to ‘you are just going have to f***ing suck it up’ by your leader is unlikely to attract universal and unwavering support.”

He continued: “Things are going from bad to worse, first a member suspended because he is awaiting trial for threatening to kill his wife, then a defection to UKIP.

“Now we have four prominent members of the group suspended on suspicion of leaking the video footage to the press.”Cllr Richard Streatfeild, deputy leader of the Lib Dems, said: “I think we were shocked, recoiled at the lack of professionalism and chaos that it portrayed.

“There could be other recordings of other meetings that fall well below the professional standards that we expect of our staff.”

Cllr Rayner added: “I saw the video and it was very interesting. I have to say that it is not something that I ever saw during my time in a Conservative administration and given the circumstances, it was quite shocking.”

Asked if Cllr Kemkaran should step down, he added: “That is a matter for Reform to decide who their leader will be. It is quite clear there are clearly some people in Reform who are very upset with the current leadership arrangements.”

Lib Dem opposition leader Cllr Antony Hook said: “Reform UK are descending into deeper chaos every day. The people of Kent are being let down by an administration that has no idea what it is doing and is breaking its promises on council tax.

“We learned in the leaked video they have no respect for each other let alone the public. Now they are turning on each other. The public have told me how appalled they are. The Reform leader’s position is untenable.”

A Reform UK spokesman, who said Cllr Kemkaran enjoyed the full support of the party leadership, said: “We won’t be providing more detail on the suspensions until investigations are complete.”

In the leaked video, Cllr Kemkaran was also sharply critical of other Kent council leaders, saying they displayed a “shocking level of ignorance” over local government reorganisation.

In a letter emailed to her on Sunday, Medway Council leader Cllr Vince Maple asked her to apologise for the remark, saying: “That comment, even within a private meeting, is pretty disrespectful to the 13 other council leaders of the region of Kent.”

Ashford MP Sojan Joseph has also waded into the matter, saying: “It’s an absolute shambles. My constituents – and [people] in the rest of Kent deserve so much better than this. Reform is not a serious party.

“They’ve not even made it until Christmas – DOGE didn’t work. Council tax is rising, and now they’re having to suspend multiple councillors.

“Their experiment has failed, and people are starting to see that they have nothing to offer other than false promises and instability.”

A statement from the KCC Labour group said: “Kent deserves better. While the Reform Party descends into chaos, our residents are left paying the price.

“One councillor is in court for allegedly threatening his wife. Another is under investigation for lewd comments to staff. One’s jumped ship to UKIP. Four more are suspended—for daring to question the leadership.

“Leadership should be built on integrity and respect—not fear, scandal, and silence. The Reform Leader at KCC must answer for this mess.

“Kent needs stability and accountaility. If not, the ones who lose out are the Kent taxpayer.”

The row follows closely on another unfortunate incident for Reform, which swept to power at County Hall in May in a landslide election victory, winning 57 of the 81 seats.

Last week, Cllr Robert Ford, who represents Maidstone Rural West at County Hall, had the party whip removed following a complaint about his conduct by several female members of staff.

At the time, the party said: “Despite being offered a meeting with the whip’s office to discuss the complaints, Cllr Ford refused to engage with the process, which has now escalated into a disciplinary matter.”

Cllr Ford denied the allegations against him.