Reform councillor liked Facebook post calling on Labour MP to be shot
Reform has refused to expel a senior councilor who approved a call for the murder of a Labor MP.
Cllr Simon Evans, whom Reform made cabinet member for children and families at Lancashire Council, liked a post on Facebook saying Labor MP Natalie Fleet “should be shot”.
The post, liked by Major Evans, referenced the grooming gang investigation and said of Miss Fleet, Labor MP for Bolsover: “You napping cow… you should be shot.”
Commander Evans apologized and said he did not understand the full context of the post, adding: “I would never deliberately call for or seek violence against anyone.”
Alex Davies-Jones MP, Labour’s minister for victims and tackling violence against women and girls, said: “This grotesque and misogynistic call for violence has absolutely no place in society.
“But Nigel Farage continues to insult the public by tolerating these extreme views on Reform. This is completely unacceptable.
“Farage must develop a backbone and immediately sack the councilor for this vile and dangerous threat.”
The same day, Mr Farage claimed at a press conference in Dover that he had personally “done more than any other politician to combat the far right”.
In a statement, Reform said: “We investigated the post and deemed it an honest mistake. We accept Major Evans’ apology and version of events.”
Cllr Evans said grooming gangs was an issue he had been campaigning on for many years.
He continued: “Unfortunately, the text accompanying the Facebook post prepared by an unknown user did not catch my attention. As soon as this was noticed, I immediately deleted the post. I would never deliberately call for or wish violence on anyone, regardless of their political beliefs. Such rhetoric has absolutely no place in our politics.”
“I would like to sincerely apologize to Ms Fleet and everyone else for the offense caused.”
The reform also resisted the deselection of Hampshire Mayoral candidate former Rear Admiral Chris Parry; Parry suggested that deputy prime minister David Lammy should “go home” to live in Jamaica, where his “loyalties lie”.
In an additional tweet, Mr Parry also described deceased right-wing former Conservative politician Enoch Powell as “unfulfilled”.
In a separate tweet, Mr Parry similarly attacked Sir Lenny Henry when the comedian and actor backed calls for the UK to pay £19 trillion in slavery reparations.
Mr Parry shared: “Where is his primary loyalty?”
In another tweet in March, Mr Parry described Birmingham as a “failed colony”.
