A leaked council meeting video has sparked comparisons to the infamous Handforth Parish Council meeting during the pandemic that turned Jackie Weaver into a viral sensation
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has suspended four councillors today for bringing the party into “disrepute”.
It comes after a leaked Zoom video showed a chaotic internal meeting of Kent council where members were told to “f****** suck it up”, according to the Guardian.
The recording from the meeting in August showed bitter divisions on Reform’s flagship council – described as a “shop window” for a Reform UK government at Westminster. Council leader Linden Kemkaran could be heard telling members she is “not a dictator”.
She told them: “I am not a dictator or an autocrat. I like feedback, I like to discuss. I like to hear what everybody thinks. However, when it comes to making the really big decisions, and LGR [local government reorganisation] is one of those really big decisions.
“Sometimes I will make a decision that might not be liked by everybody in the group. But I am afraid you are just going to have to f****** suck it up.” One member on the call could be seen gasping at the comments.
It has sparked comparisons to the infamous Handforth Parish Council meeting during the pandemic that turned Jackie Weaver into a viral sensation.
Reform UK announced on Monday the suspension of four Kent councillors, including Paul Thomas who Ms Kemkaren threatened to mute during the meeting. Mr Thomas questioned whether Reform had the “right” leader and cabinet in Kent.
A spokesman said: “Cllrs Paul Thomas, Oliver Bradshaw, Bill Barrett and Maxine Fothergill have had the whip suspended pending investigation, following evidence that they brought the party into disrepute.”
In a message sent to the Guardian, Ms Kemkaran told her councillors there would be a “thorough investigation” into the leaked video.
She added: “The people who did this are cowards. They are weak. They are foolish. They are incapable of displaying true courage themselves, so they look to harm those who are. They are obsessed with personal gain at the expense of group success. T
“They cannot cope with disappointment and personal inadequacies so they seek to bring down others to their level.”
Reform UK took control of Kent County Council after winning 57 of the 81 seats at the local elections in May, overturning a 30-year Tory majority.