Three more Reform UK councillors on Kent County Council (KCC) have been expelled from the party following an investigation into 'dishonest and deceptive behaviour'. The expulsions come after a leaked video showed KCC leader Linden Kemkaran berating backbench councillors.
The party took control of KCC in May, winning 57 of 81 seats and ending a 30-year Conservative majority. However, ongoing suspensions and removals mean fewer than 50 Reform councillors remain at the council. The latest expulsions involve councillors Bill Barrett, Oliver Bradshaw, Paul Thomas and Brian Black.
A Reform UK spokesperson said: 'At the request of the leader of Kent County Council, cllr Black and cllr Thomas were invited to meet with officials from Reform HQ in order to find a way forward for all involved. Following this meeting, a decision has been made to expel cllr Black, cllr Thomas and cllr Bradshaw from the party after they displayed a lack of integrity.'
The leaked video, obtained by The Guardian, showed Ms Kemkaran telling councillors: '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.' She also warned that failing to balance Kent's budget would harm Reform's chances at a general election.
Despite promising to cut waste and reduce council tax, Reform leaders at KCC are expected to increase council tax next year. Labour described the leaked footage as evidence that a government run by Nigel Farage would be 'complete chaos', while the Liberal Democrats compared the meeting to 'an episode of The Traitors'.
The turmoil is not limited to Kent; five Reform councillors on Cornwall Council recently left the party to form an independent group, citing 'friction' between national priorities and local interests. Reform UK denied the claims, stating that councillors have 'complete autonomy' on local issues.
