Reform turns on itself
Plus flag wars in Faversham, a Conservative rising star, on patrol with Mike Tapp, news in brief, events, and lots more
Welcome to your Monday morning afternoon Kent Current briefing, brought to you later in the day than usual because of a massive internet services outage that knocked our publishing platform offline. Still, better late than never, no?
It’s a grey and gloomy morning in Kent. These conditions seem to match the tone at County Hall, where arguments over Reform’s leadership at Kent County Council spectacularly spilt into public over the weekend. A leaked, foul-mouthed video on Saturday led to suspensions by this morning, with four more councillors elected in May now having lost the whip.
We’ve got the details of what’s happened below. There’s also a full roundup of news from around the county, including big reads on the flag wars of Faversham, a Conservative rising star and her positions, and a look at one of Labour’s more hawkish MPs on borders. There’s lots more too, including upcoming council business, news in brief, and the biggest events in the county this week.
Let’s get to it.
Catch up
If you missed any of our reporting over the past week, here’s your chance to catch up:
For our big weekend interview, we talked to Matt Boughton, the leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. He talks about how he ended up in the role, the imminent local government organisation and his disputes with Medway over the shape of it, flags, the risk of defections from his ruling group, and lots more.
In our Thursday edition, we covered the big stories from across the county, including an absurd scenario where green energy infrastructure was being blocked to protect a strip of nothing land between a dual carriageway, a railway line, and a tip. We also looked at the latest strife within the Kent Reform group, the potential return of cross-Channel rail services to Kent, and more.
We also featured the first column by former MEP and Federation of Small Businesses Development Manager for Kent and Medway, Tim Aker, on the changes sweeping through Kent both politically and otherwise.
Reform turns on itself
Reform UK won control of Kent promising a new style of leadership. A leaked internal meeting has instead exposed visible fractures inside the group that governs County Hall, leading to suspensions and silence from those still in charge.
The recording: The video, filmed during a private online meeting of Reform councillors and published by the Guardian, showed council leader Cllr Linden Kemkaran asserting her control over major decisions, including plans for local government reorganisation (LGR).
“It is the leader and the cabinet who make the big decisions,” she said. “However, when it comes to making really big decisions… I am afraid you’re just going to have to fucking suck it up, okay? Because I am the democratically elected leader.”
She reminded members that the group would be judged by its ability to balance finances, referring to efforts to keep council tax rises below 5%.
“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.”
A challenge from within: Tension intensified when Cllr Paul Thomas, who represents Maidstone South, questioned whether backbenchers were being asked to support proposals without briefing.
“The proposal that is going forward is, frankly, is that the right leader and the right cabinet?” he asked. “Because we as backbenchers need to understand what we are getting behind.”
Kemkaran noted, “I’m on holiday this week, Paul. I don’t want to be having this meeting.”
When Thomas continued, she warned him: “Paul, Paul, I’m going to mute you in a minute, let me reply.”
As she spoke, Cllr Brian Collins could be heard laughing. Thomas responded, “It’s all right Brian, you keep laughing your head off, mate,” before being muted by Kemkaran.
Deeper discontent: The footage later moved to Cllr Dean Burns, who described wider dissatisfaction with how the group was being run.
“Let’s face it, the situation at the moment with regards to our group is not great,” he said. “There is a lot of backbiting going on, and that tends to be coming from the top down. I’ve worked my arse off in my own portfolio, and I’m still getting a rod up my backside all the time.”
Burns’ comments pointed to broader frustrations over communication, recognition and internal culture.
Disciplinary action: This morning, four councillors - Paul Thomas, Oliver Bradshaw, Bill Barrett and Maxine Fothergill - had the whip suspended.
In a formal statement, Reform 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.”
The suspensions reduce the group’s official number from 54 to 50. All four remain elected members of Kent County Council and will serve as independents.
A broader pattern: Reports earlier this month had already noted unease among Reform members at County Hall, including concerns over access to information and involvement in decision-making. The leaked footage is the first time those concerns have been seen directly. The recording captured interruptions, raised voices and visible frustration, rather than any formal breakdown of policy.
No senior member of the Reform cabinet has commented publicly on the video or the suspensions. There is no indication of when internal investigations will conclude or whether the councillors may be readmitted.
Position at County Hall: Reform continues to hold a substantial majority at Kent County Council, though it is notable that the party has now lost seven of their group since May.
The council leadership has not addressed whether the leak or its aftermath will affect ongoing work, including discussions on LGR or budget planning. A scheduled meeting on school transport was cancelled last week, but no link has been officially made to the internal dispute.
After the leak: The video did not conclude with agreement or apology. It ended with open challenges, muted replies, and a group that could not resolve its own disputes. Reform still holds the chamber by numbers, but what was once concealed behind private calls now sits on record and cannot be taken back.
Three big reads
1️⃣ There is a war in Faversham between the ‘patriots’ and the ‘de-flaggers,’ writes the Telegraph, who attended an anti-immigration rally in the town and ironically found no one local speaking. They also talk to locals about the shifting perspectives some in the town have had on the flags.
2️⃣ The Times have profiled Weald of Kent MP Katie Lam, described as one of the rising stars of the Conservative Party. In a sign of how far things have shifted, she talks about how she wants to kick legal migrants out of the country, as well as the illegal ones.
3️⃣ The New Statesman have gone on patrol with Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp as he goes out on a Border Force cutter trying to intercept drug smugglers. Tapp is described as one of Labour’s hawkish MPs on borders and immigration.
Council matters
Meetings this week:
Medway: Cabinet meets on Tuesday to discuss a selective licensing scheme for landlords, a flag flying protocol, and a review of the taxi tariff.
Ashford: Planning Committee will meet on Wednesday to decide on the building of 97 homes in Kennington.
Maidstone: Cabinet will discuss on Wednesday the emerging Local Plan, the delivery of a pump track, and the creation of a new farmers’ market.
Tunbridge Wells: Cabinet gathers on Thursday to consider the pathway to net zero and a budget update.
New planning applications:
Medway: Proposals to build 24 new flats above shops at the entrance to the Pentagon Shopping Centre on Chatham High Street.
Tunbridge Wells: A screening opinion has been submitted for 125 new homes on Spratsbrook Farm to the southwest of the town.
Tunbridge Wells: Outline application for 90 homes on the former gasholder site on Sandhurst Road.
In brief
⛴️ Gravesham MP Lauren Sullivan has called for some of the toll money raised from the Lower Thames Crossing to be used to reinstate the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry.
💷 KentOnline has been talking to residents of Leysdown about how they would like £20m in Pride in Place funding spent in their area.
🇪🇺 EU flags have started going up on road signs in Kent, but not in the way you think.
🪧 Faversham and Mid Kent MP Helen Whately staged a protest against Operation Brock on Friday. A ‘handful’ of people turned up.
🐝 Asian hornet sightings have soared in Kent this year, with 110 nests found and destroyed in what feels like an increasingly losing battle.
🏗️ Panattoni have acquired a 70-acre site in Lenham to create a 1 million sq ft modern industrial development.
☕ Objections have been raised to a new cafe near Margate because it would “destroy” the area by removing “essential” parking.
⚽ Subbuteo is returning to the county where it was created, with Faversham hosting the Champions League and Europa League of the tabletop sport this weekend.
🎥 Parts of the latest Alan Partridge series were shot in Kent, with some scenes being shot at Castle Farm in Lullingstone.
🫖 8,000 novelty teapots from Teapot Island failed to sell at auction last week, and now face being broken up into smaller lots.
Events this week
👩⚖️ Thu 23 Oct - Lady Hale: With The Law On Our Side // Former President of the Supreme Court talks through the law of the land. Augustine Hall, Canterbury. Tickets £14.50.
🖥️ 24 - 26 Oct - Electric Medway Festival: Aurora // Showcase of high-quality digital art made within the community. Various locations. Free.
Footnotes
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