Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Ian Cooper, the leader of Staffordshire County Council, has stepped down following the revocation of his membership from Reform UK due to an investigation into his social media activity. Cooper had assumed leadership of the council after the local elections in May, when Reform UK gained control from the Conservatives. He will continue to serve as an independent councillor representing Tamworth despite resigning from his leadership position.
The controversy surrounding Cooper centers on social media posts, including one directed at then foreign secretary David Lammy, which asserted that “no foreign national or first generation migrant should be allowed to sit in Parliament.” Reform UK removed Cooper from the party last week, with national leader Nigel Farage stating that the investigation’s findings “did not look good” for the council leader. This action followed claims from the activist group Hope Not Hate, which alleged that racist posts linked to Cooper’s account had been discovered on the platform X.
Further scrutiny arose from allegations regarding Cooper’s presence on Facebook, where he was reportedly identified as a top fan of a page called The European Race, a group associated with white supremacist views. The term “top fan” refers to a user who has significant engagement with a particular Facebook page. In response, Martin Murray, Cooper’s deputy, has been appointed as interim leader, with the council anticipated to select a permanent replacement during a full meeting scheduled for early next year.
Martin Murray addressed the situation by acknowledging the difficulties surrounding recent events. He emphasized his dedication to delivering improvements for Staffordshire and ensuring equitable representation for all residents. Murray also pledged to maintain the uninterrupted operation of council services and to promote Staffordshire as an attractive location for living, tourism, and investment. Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Conservative opposition criticized the resignation, arguing that it does not resolve the broader issues of racism within Reform UK’s Staffordshire branch and called on Murray to remove councillors with similar views, specifically naming Peter Mason. The opposition also highlighted the lack of response from Reform UK councillors on these matters and expressed a demand for each councillor to publicly either support or condemn the bigoted views in question
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.