Liberal Democrats: KCC leader “unfit for office” for “silencing her members” in sweary attack

The Opposition Leader has described the “abuse” directed at the Leader’s own colleagues as “intolerable” and “undemocratic”.

- The recording reveals Reform UK to be making plans based on “political advantage” rather than “public interest”, Cllr Anthony Hook has said.

- Hook has demanded a free vote on Reform’s plans for local government reorganisation at the next full council meeting after Reform members were told to “suck it up” by their leader.

Cllr Anthony Hook, Opposition Leader of Kent County Council (KCC), has called the Leader’s position “untenable” following the release of a “shocking” recording of an internal council meeting.

Cllr Anthony Hook said:

“The Leader of Kent County Council is unfit for office, and her position is now untenable”.

“The shocking levels of abuse and unprofessionalism directed at her colleagues, who are elected officials, to silence them is intolerable and utterly undemocratic. She claims she’s not a dictator. She’s protesting too much”.

“What we are witnessing here are decisions being made based on political advantage rather than public interest. This will only further erode the little trust that the electorate have in local government”.

“If you thought the Conservatives were bad when they ran KCC, Reform is far worse, more disorganised, more inexperienced, and more reckless. It’s been less than a year, but Reform in Kent is proving with each day that the party is politically and morally unfit to be near power at any level”.

Focusing on Reform UK’s broken promises on council tax, Hook said:

“Despite promising to cut council tax to get into power, they have now broken that promise. Kent is expected to do very well out of the Government’s Fair Funding Review so hiking up residents’ tax bill will be a further blow to people of Kent”.

Criticising Reform UK’s approach to Local Government Reorganisation Hook said:

“Reform is wasting roughly £100,000 on consultants to launch their own separate plan for local government reorganisation, not supported by any of Kent’s 13 Borough and District Councils or Members of Parliament.

“The people of Kent should not be made to simply ‘suck it up’. KCC Members must be given a free vote on these plans”.