Reform UK Faces Fresh Setback as Another Kent Councillor Suspended Amid Growing Turmoil

Reform UK has been hit by another wave of internal turmoil after Isabella Kemp, a key councillor and former data protection officer for the party’s headquarters, was suspended from Kent County Council. The decision marks the latest in a string of departures that have shaken the party’s local leadership, exposing deep divisions within its ranks.

Kemp’s suspension means the party has now lost nine of the fifty-seven councillors it won during the local elections in May. Her exit follows weeks of controversy surrounding a leaked recording that revealed fierce infighting among members of the council’s leadership. The fallout has left Reform UK’s once-celebrated Kent delegation described by party figures as a “flagship” example of grassroots strength in a state of open disarray.

Speaking after her suspension, Kemp said she had begun legal proceedings against Reform UK for unfair dismissal and had reached out to the conciliation service Acas and the whistleblowing charity Protect. She said she intended to take her case to a tribunal, adding that her removal reflected a wider culture of intolerance within the party toward internal criticism.

The crisis erupted after the Guardian published a recording of a closed council meeting in which the council leader, Linden Kemkaran, lashed out at dissenting members, telling them they would have to “suck it up” if they disagreed with her decisions. The remarks caused uproar among party councillors and supporters, prompting four suspensions shortly afterward. Two of those councillors, along with another previously suspended member, have since formed a breakaway faction calling itself the Independent Reformers.

At the council’s full meeting on Thursday, Kemkaran faced tough questions about the growing instability within Reform UK’s Kent branch and the practical consequences of Kemp’s departure. Kemp had chaired the adult social care and public health committee, a key role overseeing vital community services. Her absence, officials warned, could delay upcoming initiatives and budget decisions tied to the county’s welfare and healthcare programs.

Party insiders said the ongoing conflict had damaged morale among local members and risked undermining Reform UK’s credibility ahead of future elections. What was once seen as an energetic movement for political reform now appears mired in personal disputes and leadership struggles.

Observers say the internal battles highlight the difficulties facing new political movements that achieve rapid local success but lack robust internal governance. Without a clear mechanism for resolving disputes, tensions between senior leadership and councillors have escalated into public confrontations that threaten to overshadow policy goals.

For Reform UK, which has sought to position itself as a disciplined alternative to traditional parties, the situation in Kent serves as a cautionary example. Unless the leadership can restore unity and trust within its ranks, analysts warn the party’s momentum from its local election victories could quickly unravel.