Reform UK’s flagship council was ridiculed as “a circus” after footage of a chaotic online meeting surfaced, sparking criticism and mockery across social media.
Following the release of video from the meeting last month, which showed council leader Linden Kemkaran reprimanding backbench council members for questioning her, a number of Kent party members were suspended.
During a tumultuous meeting at Kent County Council on Thursday, opposition leaders challenged the administration and called them a "laughing stock."
The council included "more clowns on display since I saw Bill Smart's last circus," according to Conservative leader Harry Rayner.
Antony Hook, the leader of the Liberal Democrats in Kent, joined him and stated that the council was in a "political crisis" and that he had heard of "bets being made" over whether the administration would continue till Christmas.
Mark Hood, the head of the Green Party, likened the group to another television program called The Traitors and stated that members were eager to see who else would be classified as such.
Combating the statements from opposition leaders Ms Kemkaran said:
“Every time I’m in this chamber it becomes like a group therapy session - that was more of a cry for help from the opposition.”
Their contributions had gone "from Halloween to panto season in blink of an eye," she continued.
“Along the way some had quit because they couldn’t hack it. Others had been thrown out for bad behaviour or were simply unwilling to accept discipline,” she said, adding: “Sitting here now six months on, we too may be slightly leaner in number, but we are much stronger, and we are totally battle fit.”
Ms. Kemkaran compared her party's dropout percentage to that of her son's fellow recruits, drawing on her son's military training experience.
During the discussion, Richard Palmer, the council chair, had to repeatedly remind the council members of the Nolan principles, which caused the room to erupt in laughter and interruptions.
Mr. Collins responded to other council members' laughter by saying that while they "may laugh" and "smirk," Reform's "intention is to one day be able to lower council tax."
Although the party won 57 of the 81 seats in KCC in May, fewer than 48 Reform council members are still in power due to ongoing suspensions and removals.
Most recently, Sheppey's KCC representative, Councillor Isabella Kemp, was suspended from the party prior to Thursday's council meeting.
Following investigations, Bill Barrett, Oliver Bradshaw, Paul Thomas, and another council member, Brian Black, were expelled from Reform UK just last week.
One of the suspended council members, Mr. Thomas, questioned members of his old party about the nonstop road closures during a full council meeting on Thursday.
Residents were" suffering" and without machine services for over to six weeks, he claimed, criminalizing the megacity of" remonstrating the can down the road."
Peter Osborne, a press member for transportation and roadways, stated that they do n't have the authority to stop similar exigency work from passing.
Also, a former Reform council member has declared that he's allowing of suing the party for defaming his character after being removed.
Following unofficial complaints from female employees, Reform UK removed Councillor Robert Ford last month.
On Thursday, he said:
“I’m currently taking legal advice regarding the defamation of my character by Reform UK at KCC that occurred on October 13 and I intend in the coming months to pursue this with vigour.”
Mr. Ford asserts that the accusations are related to a published "erotic novel" that he told KCC employees about.
How Reform UK has publicly responded to the footage?
Reform UK intimately responded to the blurted footage of the chaotic council meeting by suspending several councillors involved, including Isabella Kemp, Bill Barrett, Paul Thomas, Brian Black, Oliver Bradshaw, and Maxine Fothergill, citing that their behavior brought the party into reproach. The party leadership emphasized that the dormancies were necessary to maintain discipline and cover the party’s character.
Nigel Farage, the party leader, has been active in distancing Reform UK from the chaos, framing the dormancies as part of a broader trouble to apply responsibility and professionalism within the party.
Still, Reform UK has not issued detailed public statements addressing the specific content of the footage or the examinations about poor leadership and dysfunction, fastening rather on the correctional conduct taken.