When Reform UK swept to power in Kent at the local elections this year, Nigel Farage arrived by helicopter for a victory party marked by champagne and fireworks. Just over 25 weeks later, the party's control of the county council has been engulfed by factionalism and farce, with a leaked recording of a meeting showing its leader, Linden Kemkaran, telling dissenting colleagues to “fucking suck it up”.
The fallout has been immediate: four councillors were suspended, and a committee hearing appeals from families needing supported school transport was cancelled because the chair and another member were among those suspended. The cancellation has raised concerns about public safety, as the appeals of at least seven families were left unresolved.
Further controversy emerged when it was revealed that Kemkaran failed to declare that her husband is a director at East Kent’s health authority in her register of interests. The omission was only corrected four months after her election, after being flagged by an official. Kemkaran refused to take responsibility, with a council spokesperson blaming an “administrative oversight”.
Opposition politicians, including Liberal Democrat chief whip Mark Ellis, have called for her resignation, arguing she is putting party interest ahead of the public. Meanwhile, Kemkaran’s attempt to impose an “oath of loyalty” on Reform councillors has stalled, with only 37 of 50 councillors signing it. The party has already lost seven councillors since the election, highlighting deepening divisions.
