Reform UK expelled three councillors at Kent County Council after investigating their conduct. The decision affects councillors Brian Black, Paul Thomas and Oliver Bradshaw, whom Reform removed after meetings with party headquarters officials.
A Reform spokesperson confirmed the expulsions, stating the councillors "displayed a lack of integrity" and showed "a pattern of dishonest and deceptive behaviour which the party will not tolerate from its elected officials."
The party initially suspended four councillors after the leak of a video showing council leader Linden Kemkaran using strong language during internal discussions.
Video leak sparks crisis
The controversy began when a leaked video emerged showing Kemkaran telling fellow councillors: "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." In the footage, Kemkaran described the council as a "shop window" for Reform UK's potential national policies.
The expelled councillors join Bill Barrett and Robert Ford, whom Reform removed via email last week for "undermining party interests and bringing the party into disrepute." The mounting expulsions have significantly reduced Reform's presence at the council since their electoral breakthrough.
Reform's troubled takeover
Reform UK achieved a stunning victory in May's local elections, winning 57 of the 81 seats at Kent County Council and ending three decades of Conservative control. However, the party now has fewer than 50 councillors due to the ongoing suspensions and expulsions, undermining their grip on the authority that manages a budget exceeding £2.5 billion.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
