By Local Democracy Reporter Simon Finlay
Reform UK has expelled another three county councillors from the party this afternoon alleging “a pattern of dishonest and deceptive behaviour”.
The dismissals of Cllrs Brian Black, Paul Thomas and Oliver Bradshaw brings the number of expulsions from the Kent County Council group to five in the past four days.
A short statement issued by Reform UK HQ in London said the decision to expel the trio came after a meeting called “at the request of the leader”, Cllr Linden Kemkaran.
The KCC leadership has been embroiled in controversy since the Guardian published a leaked video of Cllr Kemkaran swearing raising her voice during a virtual meeting.
Within hours of the piece going live on Saturday October 18, the leader promised to hunt down the culprits.
Initially, Cllrs Thomas, Bradshaw, Bill Barrett and Maxine Fothergill were suspended.
Cllr Barrett and another councillor Cllr Robert Ford were dismissed on Friday but not for leaking the video. The party has not specified what the councillors are alleged to have done.
A short statement from Reform UK 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.
“These individuals have shown a pattern of dishonest and deceptive behaviour which the party will not tolerate from its elected officials.”
Cllr Kemkaran said the “leaked footage…was not a constituted KCC meeting, nor was it supported by KCC officers. It was a private Reform Group meeting, and everyone in that meeting had the right to expect that the views expressed would remain private to the Reform group.
“As such, I consider this first and foremost to be an internal Group matter. But I am aware that the leaked footage has caused concern amongst some Kent Leaders about KCC’s intention or approach to LGR.”
Decreasing seats at KCC
Reform swept in with 57 of the 81 seats at Kent County Council in May this year.
They are now down to 49 members.
Five have been ejected from the party following a row about a leaked video, although reasons for two expulsions -Cllrs Bill Barrett and Robert Ford- are said to be separate. The other three are Cllrs Brian Black, Paul Thomas and Oliver Bradshaw.
Cllr Maxine Fothergill – suspended during the video leak row- is also shown as Independent on the KCC website.
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.
Despite the drop in numbers, Reform still holds a solid majority with the next largest party being Liberal Democrats with 12 seats.
“Will the last Reform KCC cllr please close the door on the way out”
KCC nearly as bad as Thanet District Council
UKIP take 2
My way or the highway. You are not permitted to think for yourselves.
The Gauleiter has spoken and will be obeyed .
Vote for clowns and you get a circus.
Make your mind up, you were saying how great they were just a few days ago!
Surely “dishonest and deceptive behaviour is a good reason for promotion in reform. Isn’t that what they are all about anyway?
To all who have posted a comment on this item before this one:
Tick-tock, tick-tock, general election day will arrive eventually, and ALREADY you’re all panicking.
Sacking councillors fro the party for lack of integrity; Labour would have no one left, and yet you all find some way to criticize this. Who are the REAL clowns?
Your good self , Dr ?
Elections are inevitable- click bait posting is for clowns .
Well it is certainly novel for a ruling party to build its own opposition less than 6 months in office.
I do hope the good doctor is no longer practicing as he clearly does not know his gluteus maximus from his humerus.
Tick tock yes it is 3 and bit years till the next GE, but if there are those who think voting in a reform govt is a good idea,they will deserve to receive their just desserts. I now believe we have to reach rock bottom by voting in the lunatics, before the asylum can be rebuilt in a better way.
Draining the swamp in this case means giving tge angry ones a hand on the tiller,and when they crash the boat, make something new and better with the splintered timbers.Of course a lot of vulnerable people will suffer, but hey, what does.that matter.
It would be helpful to know which constuencies they represent(ed)
How many councillors will they have by the time they wake up, realise she is the problem & dump her? Her ego trip & Muh authority dictator attitude is going to destroy them.