By Local Democracy Reporter Simon Finlay
Embattled Reform UK county council leader Linden Kemkaran and her party face legal challenges on two fronts this morning (November 6) by former members.
One expelled councillor is threatening to take her party to an industrial tribunal while another is investigating a claim for libel.
Isabella Kemp, who represents the Swale division on Kent County Council (KCC), says she was dismissed from her data protection role at the party’s headquarters this week and suspended as a councillor.
The 23-year announced today she has already started the process of challenging Reform UK for unfair dismissal.
Expelled Reform UK councillor Robert Ford also declared he is considering suing for libel over allegations contained in a press release about his recent suspension.
Cllr Robert Ford believes a media statement issued on October 13 to news organisations has damaged his reputation.
It said Cllr Ford was being suspended after an “unofficial complaint” from “several” members of female staff.
It is understood the member for the Maidstone Rural West division is approaching “no win, no fee” legal firms who specialise in defamation cases, which can be ruinously costly if taken privately.
Opposition groups say Cllr Kemkaran’s administration is in “chaos” and called on her to step down.
Speaking outside County Hall in Maidstone before today’s 10am meeting of full council, Cllr Ford said that he believes the complaint arose from the fact he wrote an erotic novel.
But he thinks the real reason for his suspension was that he sent an email to Reform UK colleagues over alleged bullying at KCC. Reform UK has denied bullying.
In his short statement today, Cllr Ford said: “I entered politics because I could no longer trust politicians who lie and fail to stand up for their beliefs and the people they serve.
“So I wrote an email to my colleagues to address the bullying happening around us. I knew I would face consequences for this, but I was prepared for that. What followed, however, shocked me.
“I’m currently taking legal advice regarding the defamation of my character by Reform UK at KCC. And I intend in the coming months to pursue this with vigour.”
He added: “A few days ago, I discovered the so-called complaints against me, all related to my novel writing.
“It’s astonishing that my name can be defamed in the media simply because I wrote an erotic novel and got it published by a major company. And then I mentioned it to a few people in the building behind me (County Hall).
“It’s a shame that our great nation has come to this.”
Cllr Ford’s “Diaries of Colourful Life” was published by Pegasus under his nom de plume, R W Mittson. He has already written 180 pages of a new book detailing his experiences as a Reform UK councillor at KCC.
In a libel action, under the Defamation Act, a statement about a person is actionable if it seriously affects their reputation by exposing them to ridicule, hate or contempt or be shunned or avoided; lowering them in the estimation of right-thinking members of society generally or disparaging them in their place of business, trade, office or business.
A claimant can also take action even where there is an inference.
Cllr Ford said the press release was designed to damage him and his reputation.
Cllr Kemp refused to discuss at length her intentions but she confirmed she had been fired from her job at Reform UK HQ because of WhatsApp messages she is alleged to have sent relating to the leadership at KCC. She also said that she has had the whip suspended from her at County Hall.
Cllr Kemp said that she has already been in touch with the conciliation service ACAS and the Protect whistle-blowers’ charity.
Reform UK confirmed she remains suspended pending investigation.
The party and Linden Kemkaran have both been approached for a comment this morning.
Cllrs Ford and Bill Barrett have recently formed the Independent Reformers group and say they are in advanced discussions with two other members about joining.
Cllr Barrett said: “Nigel Farage has allowed Linden Kemkaran to run riot at Kent County Council and she is running riot.”
Cllr Barrett said the Independent Reformers offered “a warm sanctuary” to disaffected Reform UK members at County Hall.
Cllr Kemkaran said: “Unfortunately it happens. We are not dealing with robots or machines here, we are dealing with people and people are intrinsically messy and awkward to deal with and do all kinds of things that you don’t expect them to do. It’s just the nature of leadership.”
Five Reform UK councillors have been expelled and Cllrs Kemp and Maxine Fothergill remain suspended. All are alleged to have brought the party into disrepute but all deny wrong-doing.
In addition Cllr Daniel Taylor was ousted following police charges of threats to kill his wife on June 1, sending an offensive/indecent/obscene/ or menacing message on the same date and using controlling or coercive behaviour for a period of more than a decade from 2014.
Cllr Amelia Randall ditched Reform and declared herself a member of UKIP.
In the May election Reform took 57 of the 81 seats at KCC. It is now down to 48 seats.
Kemp is not taking Reform to a Tribunal. Reform is not her employer. K C.C. – the Executive, a politically independent legally defined entity – has sacked her. Presumably for gross misconduct? As I suspect – as I posited here a couple of weeks ago – that she is the I.T. department employee responsible for the leak.
As to libel… Good luck with that!🤣
She looks far too nice to mix with that rabble!
Solicitors will take “no win – no fee” cases where they pass the 60/40 test for things like industrial injury or unfair dismissal. They never take defamation cases as these are prohibitively expenses and no legal aid is ever available. These two are just political numpties and like most of the Reform group are quite unfit to hold elected office.
Oh well then, Judge Harry Webb has pronounced as judge, jury and executioner, so that’s that! On no evidence what’s so ever Harry has identified the malefactor and been proved right by his standards.
Harry, the so called leak is not the problem, it’s the lack of leadership, which when faced with obstacles reverts to threats and bluster to silence any opposition.
As for what Lawyers might do or not do, like the law it is never certain. I don’t know if a libel or contractual breach is shown, but what I do know is Kemkaran broke the code of conduct, because even though it was a group meeting, she was acting as a cllr, and I am afraid swearing and making threats is not on the recommended list of positive actions within the code.
You could argue that she put the council into disrepute by acting like that.
Danny Kruger their new migrant from the Tory party says he wants to turn the Pirate ship which is Reform UK, into a RN warship, well good luck with that one! I think a tramp ship, which constantly depth charges itself, is more accurate.At least Captain Pugwash was a nice pirate, Kemkaran is more like Captain Hogwash, and she needs mouthwash, to clean up her potty mouth.
These people are miles away from the positive actions of the residents of Spencer Walk in Ramsgate in the following story.
Shades of UKIP in 2016 Thanet Council
And how much is all this going to end up costing us taxpayers?
Like so many in the county and country, I am so fed up with all politicians and despair at what is happening every time I read a news article.
Reform are an embarrassment, however the most shameful thing are the people gullible enough to vote for them. What does that say about the people that do.