Full transcript of chaotic Reform council meeting that saw four suspended
Councillors have whip removed after meeting gets out of hand
Four Kent Reform members have been suspended after a video leaked, showing the county council’s leader telling those on a video call to “f**ing suck it up”.
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Leaked footage shows Linden Kemkaran berating backbenchers over the call, after one of them questioned her leadership, with a financial decision looming.
Councillors Paul Thomas, the chief complainer in the video, Oliver Bradshaw, Bill Barrett and Maxine Fothergill have had the whip suspended - Reform said on Monday.
Ms Kemkaran muted Mr Thomas during the call as she complained about taking the meeting while on holiday and said that the authority was under the watchful eye of Nigel Farage.
The right-wing Reform won Kent County Council (KCC) control from the Conservative Party in this year’s elections, taking 57 of the 81 seats.
Having installed its own Department for Government Efficiency, the authority admitted that cost-cutting measures had failed and it is now set to hike council tax by up to 5 per cent.
The video, shared with the Guardian on Saturday, shows the members arguing about the local government “local government reorganisation” (LGR) plan. Ms Kemkaran credits deputy leader Brian Collins for his help with the budgeting.
This is the transcript from the most heated parts of the meeting as it began to get out of hand, with Ms Kemkaran addressing all of the members.
Linden Kemkaran (council leader): “As the leader of the council, it is my job to appoint the cabinet, which I’ve done. And the way the constitution works is that [it is] the leader and the cabinet that make the big decisions. Because 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 really big decisions, and I am afraid LGR is a really big decision, and I will have to make a decision that might not be popular with everybody in the group. But I am afraid you’re just going to have to f***ing suck it up, okay? Because I am the democratically elected leader, and on LGR I have made a decision, and it’s Brian’s responsibility, a massive responsibility sitting on his shoulders right now to try and come up with these savings to make the books balance. If we can avoid putting up council tax by the full 5 per cent, that is the best thing we can do to show Reform can actually run something as big as Kent County Council. We are the shop window for KCC, people are looking at us, they’re judging us every single day, every single minute of every single day. Nigel knows that. He is super aware that we are the flagship council.”
The discussion then moves on to Ms Kemkaran being questioned.
Paul Thomas (backbench councillor for Maidstone South): “The proposal that is going forward is, frankly, is that the right leader and the right cabinet? Because we as backbenchers need to understand what we are getting behind.”
Councillor Kemkaran: “Physically there isn’t time at this stage…”
Councillor Thomas: “I am not asking you to run through everything. I’m just asking you…”
Councillor Kemkaran: “You are, that’s exactly what…”
Councillor Thomas: “No, no, no, no, I don’t know if you’re intentionally picking things up, or the problem is that it is easier when it’s face to face, right?”
Councillor Kemkaran: “Of course it’s easier when it’s face to face. I’m on holiday this week, Paul, I don’t wanna be having this meeting.”
Councillor Thomas: “I want to know what the proposal is, that is all I am asking for.”
Councillor Kemkaran: “And my response to that is…”
Councillor Thomas: “And to be brief about that…”
Councillor Kemkaran: “Paul! Paul! I’m going to mute you in a minute, let me reply! We’re running out of time.”
[Councillor Brian Collins begins to laugh]
Councillor Thomas: “It’s all right Brian, you keep laughing your head off mate.”
Councillor Kemkaran: “Paul, I am going to mute you so I can speak.”
The video then clips ahead to Ashford member Dean Burns.
Councillor Dean Burns: “Let’s face it, the situation at the moment with regards to our group is not great. You know, I’ve worked my arse off in my own portfolio, and I’m still getting a rod up my backside all the time. There is a lot of backbiting going on and that tends to be coming from the top down.”