Bombshell Labour plan to ‘take over Reform UK council’ | Politics | News
Reform UK has accused the Labor government of plotting to take over Kent County Council, its “flagship” local authority. Reform figures claimed a coordinated campaign was underway by the Government to undermine trust in authority and pave the way for Whitehall to step in and take control of its operations. Kent County Council, which Nigel Farage’s party won in the 2025 local elections, has come under sustained fire from Labor leaders in recent months.
Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who recently appeared in the House of Commons, accused the Reform-led administration of presiding over “chaos” and claimed the council had become a symbol of mismanagement; Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously told MPs he sympathized with residents whose “lives have been disrupted by staggering incompetence”.
Despite campaigning on reducing waste and saving money, the council has come under fresh criticism over its spending after defending plans to spend nearly £100,000 a year funding political assistants. The motion, proposed by council leader Linden Kemkaran and passed by a vote of 65-26, allows assistants to support party groups and liaise with the press, but opposition councilors accused the move of being hypocritical and politically motivated.
While only the Reform and Liberal Democrats are eligible for the roles under council rules, critics have warned taxpayers’ funds are being used for party purposes rather than public services.
A leaked forecast also revealed a budget deficit of £60m for 2026-27 despite a 5% council tax rise, up from a £20.1m deficit under the previous Tory administration.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice hit back at the Government, claiming the attacks were politically motivated and designed to justify central government intervention. Telegram reported.
He said: “We have strong reasons to believe that what they are trying to do is create a loss of confidence in one of our councils and that they are targeting Kent.”
The Lincolnshire MP added that his party suspected the Government would send commissioners either over the Christmas period or just in the New Year.
Mr. Tice said reform would be “ready to block” what he called a “coup” in the courts.
Linden Kemkaran also said the council had been subjected to a “prolonged, violent and false campaign of attacks”.
A Labor Party spokesman strongly denied the accusations, describing Reform’s claims as “complete nonsense”.
The spokesman told The Telegraph: “These allegations are complete nonsense. Labor did not suspend nine Reform councilors in Kent for incompetence and disloyalty – it did Reform.”
“Labour didn’t tell Kent’s Reform councilors to ‘suck it up’ if they didn’t like the council leader’s decisions; Reform’s own council leader did.”
The Prime Minister’s party later claimed Mr Farage’s team had failed to find the savings they promised and were now considering increasing council tax.
The spokesman added that Reform needed to “grow up” and start running the City council “competently”.
