A Reform UK council leader has claimed the party is “stronger” having suspended another member just hours before a full council meeting.
Reform UK won 57 of the 81 seats at Kent County Council (KCC) to take control of the authority in May, overturning a 30-year Tory majority.
There are now 48 Reform councillors, with nine members having been either suspended or removed since then.
Most recently, Councillor Isabella Kemp, who represents Sheppey on KCC, was suspended from the party ahead of a council meeting on November 6.
Ms Kemp is the latest in a string of suspensions since a video showing KCC leader Linden Kemkaran shouting and swearing at members was leaked to The Guardian.
Councillors Bill Barrett, Paul Thomas, Brian Black and Oliver Bradshaw have since been removed – while Maxine Fothergill remains suspended by Reform HQ, who linked all five to the video leak.
They were said to have “undermined the interests of the party” and have been called “dishonest” by the leadership.
Mr Black, Mr Bradshaw and Mr Thomas have reportedly declared their “continued support” for the party at both national and local level.
Mr Barrett along with Robert Ford, who was removed from the party following “several” complaints from female staff, have taken a different line, criticising Reform UK and creating an Independent Reformers Group at KCC.
On Thursday in a speech in the council chamber, Ms Kemkaran drew parallels between her party and her son’s army training.
“Some had quit because they couldn’t hack it, others have been thrown out for bad behaviour, because they weren’t good enough or they weren’t team players – not up to the challenge or were simply unable or unwilling to accept discipline,” she said.
Ms Kemkaran added: “Believe me, we are much stronger and we are totally battle fit.”
Leader of the opposition, Liberal Democrat Antony Hook, implied the Reform administration had made KCC a “punchline” on Have I Got News For You.
“I’m told that people are literally placing bets on whether the administration will last until Christmas or Easter,” he said.
Reform UK suspends another councillor just hours before a Kent County Council meeting
PM to admit consensus is gone but UK ‘all in’ on net zero at Cop30
Reform UK takes aim at pensions overhaul during pitch to business chiefs
Reform ‘don’t care’ about the Union, Kemi Badenoch claims
Interest rates live: Bank of England holds rates in boost to savers before Budget
More than 700 officers deployed and protest planned for Aston Villa-Maccabi game
