Reform UK suspends four Kent councillors after leaked ‘suck it up’ outburst

• by Zayden McKnight
• Oct 20, 2025
• 0 Comments

Reform UK suspends four Kent councillors after leaked ‘suck it up’ outburst

When Reform UK pulled the whip on four of its own councillors at Kent County Council, the political fallout rippled through the county’s local‑government scene faster than a viral meme.

The drama unfolded on 20 October 2025, after a recording of an internal Zoom meeting leaked to the press. In that clip, Linden Kemkaran, the leader of Reform UK’s group on the council, could be heard snapping, “f---ing suck it up,” at backbench members who dared to question the upcoming budget plan.

Background: Reform UK’s foothold in Kent

Kent, a historic county in South East England, has become Kent County Council’s most visible proving ground for the party’s local‑government ambitions. The council, based in Maidstone, was touted by national party officials as a “flagship council” because it houses a sizable Reform UK contingent that can showcase the party’s fiscal‑conservative platform.

Since the 2023 local elections, Reform UK has held 12 seats on the 81‑member council, giving it enough leverage to influence budget discussions without outright control. That balance of power has made internal debates especially heated – a fact that became painfully clear during the October meeting.

The leaked meeting and immediate fallout

During the online session, councillors were dissecting the draft budget for the 2026‑27 financial year. A handful of backbenchers pressed for greater transparency on road‑maintenance spending, prompting Kemkaran to raise her voice. The moment she told colleagues to “f---ing suck it up,” one dissenting member was muted – an action that was captured on the same recording that later leaked.

Within hours, The Telegraph published the video, describing the episode as a “Jackie Weaver‑style meltdown.” The comparison was inevitable: in December 2020, council clerk Jackie Weaver’s fiery outburst in Handforth Parish Council went viral, turning her into a fleeting celebrity.

• Four Reform UK councillors had the party whip removed.
• The suspensions are administrative – the councillors keep their seats but sit as independents.
• No exact timeline for the internal investigation was provided.
• The incident hit just as the council was finalising a £1.2 billion budget.
• Morningstar Online later corroborated the story, confirming Kemkaran’s role as council leader.

Because the recording was shared on social media platforms, the outrage was swift. Residents of Kent flooded the council’s website with complaints, while opposition Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors demanded a formal censure.

Reactions from the party, council and public

The national leadership of Reform UK issued a brief statement: “We take breaches of conduct seriously and have therefore suspended four members pending a full investigation.” No names were released beyond the fact that one councillor was muted during the clash.

Local party branches expressed a mixture of disappointment and defensive loyalty. In a closed‑door meeting in Maidstone, senior members argued that the leaked clip was edited, though they acknowledged the language used was “unacceptable for public service.”

Meanwhile, the public’s reaction was largely one of disbelief. “I voted for them because they promised to keep council meetings civil,” said Sarah Whitaker, a resident of Ashford. “Now it’s just shouting and whisper‑muting.”

What the incident means for Kent’s council politics

With the four councillors stripped of the party whip, the balance of power on Kent County Council has shifted. Reform UK’s voting bloc shrank from 12 to 8, meaning the ruling Conservative coalition now holds a clearer majority for the upcoming budget vote.

Political analysts note that the episode could dampen Reform UK’s recruitment drive ahead of the 2026 local elections. “Voters care about temperament as much as policy,” said Dr. Amelia Hart, a political science professor at the University of Kent. “A viral outburst like this undermines the party’s image of disciplined, fiscally‑responsible governance.”

On the flip side, some insiders argue the scandal may galvanise the party’s grassroots, prompting a crackdown on internal dissent and a clearer communication protocol for virtual meetings.

Next steps: investigation and possible outcomes

Reform UK has appointed an external ethics panel to review the recording, interview the four suspended councillors, and determine whether further sanctions are warranted. The panel’s remit includes assessing whether the mute‑function was used appropriately and whether the language breached the party’s code of conduct.

Should the investigation find serious misconduct, the councillors could face expulsion from the party, a move that would force by‑elections in their wards. Conversely, a clean‑bill finding could see the whip restored, though the political damage might linger.

For now, the council continues its work on the £1.2 billion budget, with the remaining Reform UK members voting alongside Conservatives on most items. The public, however, remains watchful, knowing that any further slip‑ups will likely be captured and shared within minutes.