Reform UK expels two Kent councillors accused of ‘undermining’ its interests | Reform UK

Two suspended Reform UK councilors from Kent have been expelled from the party after alleged misconduct and the Guardian publishing a leaked video revealing tensions within the county council ranks.

Robert Ford and Bill Barrett were expelled from the party on Monday via an email from Reform Headquarters, saying they had “undermined” the party’s interests and brought it into “disrepute”.

Ford and Barrett sat on Kent county council, along with Oliver Bradshaw, Paul Thomas and Maxine Fothergill, who were suspended last week. The Guardian understands that Thomas, Bradshaw and Fothergill have been suspended from duty pending an investigation.

Ford, a councilor for Maidstone Rural West, was suspended following allegations of misconduct following an “informal complaint” from several female members of Kent borough council staff. Barrett, who represented Ashford, had criticized the council hierarchy and was suspended along with Thomas, Bradshaw and Fothergill.

Ford claimed he was given no details about where, when and how he acted. According to BBC. “There is not a single piece of evidence against me,” he said.

The suspensions and expulsions mean 48 Reform councilors remain on the city council after the party won 57 seats in May’s elections. Two other councilors were sacked, while a third joined Ukip.

A Reform spokesman said: “Councillors Barrett and Ford were expelled because their conduct was detrimental to the party’s interests and brought Reform UK into disrepute.”

Footage of the August meeting, first published by the Guardian, revealed councilors complained of “backbiting” and were ignored by their leader Linden Kemkaran, who told them to “fuck” them if they did not accept their decisions.

Kemkaran also described the council, which has a budget of more than £2.5bn, as a “showcase” of what Reform could do if it led the country.

He is understood to have told fellow councilors in an email last weekend that he was launching a hunt for the “cowards” who leaked the recorded meeting.

Antony Hook, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the Kent county council, told the Guardian that the “chaos” in the Reform group was having a direct impact on his constituents in need.

He said a council committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday to deal with school transportation issues was canceled because of the suspensions.