Reform UK councillor apologises for 'disgusting' X posts

Peter Mason says he "regrets his choice of words" in social media posts about black women and the police

A Reform UK councillor has apologised for his "choice of words" in social media posts about black women and the police.

The comments by Peter Mason, councillor for Burton South and cabinet member for strategic highways on Staffordshire County Council, dating from 2023 and 2024, were recently highlighted by the Reform Party UK Exposed account on X.

Conservative members of the authority called for him to resign, describing his posts as "disgusting".

Mason, who has since deleted his X account, said he was affected by grief and redundancy at the time he made the posts.

"These tweets were made in 2023 and early 2024 when I was not a member of any political party or elected as a councillor and during a difficult time personally," he said.

"I do regret and apologise for my choice of words."

In one post, from March 2024, Mason said: "What a surprise a statue of a fat arsed black woman."

In another post, from April 2024, he said: "Utter rubbish the police now are a bunch of politically indoctrinated British hating scum."

He also said the police "take the knee to BLM, paint rainbows and dance around like fairies".

'Abhorrent'

Conservative group leader Philip White at the council said the comments were "completely unacceptable" and called on Mason to stand down as a councillor.

"His views will be abhorrent to the people of Staffordshire, and it shows what he really thinks about some of the residents he represents as a local councillor and is making decisions about for the whole of the county as a cabinet member," White said.

White added if Mason refused to resign, Reform UK should strip him of his cabinet post and membership of the party.

Reform UK has been approached for comment.

Mason insisted he was not racist or homophobic and said having joined Reform and become a councillor, he had recovered from a "negative frame of mind" and found a way to "a more positive and optimistic outlook".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.