Call for Kent Reform leader to quit amid video row

Linden Kemkaran is the leader of Kent County Council

A group of Labour MPs have called for Kent County Council's (KCC) Reform UK leader to resign after a video was leaked of a heated virtual council meeting.

Seven MPs have written to Nigel Farage calling for Linden Kemkaran to step down after the video, which was leaked to the The Guardian, showed her swearing and telling party members to "suck it up" regarding her decisions.

The letter said: "Running a council is hard, we understand that, but if you can't handle the pressure without losing your cool, then it's time to step aside."

Reform UK said councillor Kemkaran commanded the overwhelming support of the group and would remain leader of the council.

Reform UK also said it had "better things to be focusing on than the political posturing of non-entity Labour MPs who are terrified of losing their seats to us at the next election".

KCC has been contacted for a comment.

Councillor Kemkaran told the BBC it was "business as usual" after four Reform UK councillors were suspended in the wake of the leaked video.

Kent council is one of ten local authorities run by Reform UK and seen by the party as a test case of its ability to govern.

The open letter was signed by Polly Billington from East Thanet, Jim Dickson from Dartford, Sojan Joseph from Ashford, Kevin McKenna from Sittingbourne and Sheppey, Naushabah Khan from Gillingham, Tris Osbourne from Chatham and Aylesford, and Tony Vaughan from Folkestone and Hythe.

It said: "If the leader of KCC thinks that this is business as usual, then she is clearly not up to the job, and she should step down."

The letter added: "Swearing and berating other councillors is not only deeply unprofessional, but it undermines respect for those in public life and services."

The group says "the people of Kent deserve better".

A Reform UK spokesperson said Paul Thomas, Oliver Bradshaw, Bill Barret and Maxine Fothergrill had the whip suspended pending an investigation.

They added the suspensions were the result of "evidence" the councillors "brought the party into disrepute".

When asked by BBC Radio Kent if the suspensions were linked to the video, Kemkaran declined to comment.