Reform Council Leader Rallies Behind Colleague in Social Media Storm
A senior figure within the Reform party has publicly defended a fellow councillor who faced severe criticism over a series of offensive social media posts. The controversy centres on Councillor Peter Mason, a member of Staffordshire County Council, who made derogatory comments about the police and a statue of a black woman on the platform X before his election in May.
Apology and Explanation for Deleted Posts
In now-deleted posts, Councillor Peter Mason, who also holds the cabinet portfolio for highways, labelled the police as "a bunch of politically indoctrinated British hating scum". In a separate post from March 2024, he commented on a statue with the words: "What a surprise a statue of a fat arsed black woman."
After these posts came to light, Mason issued an apology, expressing regret for his choice of words. In a statement provided to The Independent, he explained that the messages were written during a difficult personal period when he was dealing with grief and redundancy.
Political Fallout and Calls for Resignation
The apology did little to quell the anger from political opponents. Philip White, the Conservative group leader on the council, described the posts as "abhorrent" and joined others in calling for Mason's resignation.
In a surprising turn of events, Ian Cooper, the leader of Staffordshire County Council, sent an email to fellow Reform councillors to defend Mason. This memo, titled "Statement in Defence of Cllr Peter Mason", was apparently mistakenly sent to every councillor in Staffordshire. Cooper claimed Mason was the subject of a "targeted political attack" designed to distract from the failings of Reform's opponents.
In the leaked defence, Cooper argued that the comment about the statue was a critique of public art, not a personal attack. He also stated that Mason's views on policing reflected concerns shared by many, specifically referencing reports about the Metropolitan Police expanding its "woke" workforce amid funding cuts.
Broader Scrutiny on Reform-Led Councils
This incident places Staffordshire County Council, one of ten councils gained by Reform in the May local elections, under intense scrutiny. It follows similar attention on Kent County Council, where five councillors were reportedly expelled from the party last month.
The controversy even reached Prime Minister's Questions, where Sir Keir Starmer criticised the running of Kent council. Meanwhile, in Staffordshire, Green councillor Jack Rose accused Reform of being more interested in self-preservation than serving the county.
Despite the mounting pressure, Councillor Mason has stated he will not resign, asserting that everyone is entitled to make mistakes, especially during challenging personal times. Staffordshire County Council has referred the matter to Reform UK's national party for further action.
