Reform UK in Kent - “So Toxic You Can’t Debate Them”

Opposition councillors walk out of a debate on whether to declare an “illegal migration emergency”.

In this article, we see what the declaration of an “illegal migration emergency” by Kent County Council (KCC) means for Kent, why the opposition decided to walk out, and whether doing this before a by-election was even legal.

The walk-out, on March 19th, was in protest against holding the debate only three weeks before a by-election is held in Margate’s ‘Cliftonville’ ward.

Kent’s opposition councillors allege that by holding the debate, KCC’s Reform UK authority breached, Purdah or the pre-election period, during which the council must halt activities that may influence the election.

The walk-out was agreed upon by council group leaders from: Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives, and the Green Party.

Was the meeting legal?

Purdah¹ refers to the period immediately before an election or referendum when specific restrictions apply to the body being elected, in this case the county council, and its officers.

The purpose of these restrictions is to prevent governments and local authorities from using their official offices and influence from trying to improperly influence election results. Allowing the governing party to use government resources would severely unbalance any election.

The rules surrounding local authority conduct during Purdah are defined by the Local Government Act (introduced in 1986 and updated in 2011).

This act clearly states that “Local authorities should pay particular regard to the legislation governing publicity during the period of heightened sensitivity before elections”

Holding a debate on whether to declare an “illegal migration emergency” was “plainly in breach of Purdah” according to KCC’s Green Group leader, Mark Hood.

He said that Reform “want to make sure that the narrative around the by-election is immigration. Which the county council can’t control.”

Hood described the meeting as “farcical” and said that he had “lost confidence in the monitoring officer” who he believed had been severely pressured into allowing the debate.

It is the responsibility of a local authority’s monitoring officer to ensure the council fulfils its legal obligations, including during Purdah, and to provide legal advice to councillors.

Harry Rayner, the leader of KCC’s Conservative Group, echoed this sentiment, saying that his group were seeking expert opinion “on whether legal action might be taken.” “Potentially in collaboration with the electoral commission.”

Why did the opposition walk out?

The decision to walk out of the meeting was taken jointly between the council’s opposition groups.

“The reason that the whole opposition left the meeting is because it was clearly unlawful” said Rayner.

Mark Hood agreed that the walk-out was justified. “Some things are so toxic that you can’t debate them” he said, “when the falsehoods are so extreme, you’re legitimising the debate, and legitimising the falsehood.”

Reform UK’s own MPs staged a walk-out from Prime Minister’s Questions the following Wednesday.

“Imitation by Reform is the sincerest form of flattery” said Rayner, in response to the comparison.

Both opposition leaders re-iterated that their walk-out was specifically in response to an unlawful motion, in contrast to the offence taken by Reform MPs at Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s comments.

By-election Background

Former Reform councillor Daniel Taylor, was sentenced to 12 months in prison in February, for behaving in a controlling or coercive way towards his wife.

Taylor was elected as a councillor in May 2025, but was suspended from Reform a month later, and sat as an independent until his sentencing.

Taylor won the seat with a majority of 18% over Labour candidate Peter Mousley, but recent events may have damaged Reform’s popularity.

This includes both Taylor’s sentencing, and the suspension of six other councillors on suspicion of leaking a video of a virtual council meeting.

This appeared to show Kemkaran swearing and shouting at other councillors.

Opposition councillors called for a by-election in the immediate aftermath of Taylor’s suspension, but the councillor opted to remain in post as long as possible.

Any political gain Reform may have hoped for from the delay has surely been offset by the succession of local scandals, which have seen six councillors defect to the Restore Britain party.

April’s by-election may be seen as a test of Reform’s ability to maintain popularity while in office.

In the 2025 election Reform won fifty seven of eighty seats in on Kent County Council but they are now down to only 47. Losing the by-election would reduce Reform’s majority on the council to only six seats.

What does an “illegal migration emergency” even mean?

“Nothing” according to both Rayner and Hood.

The motion declaring the emergency called on the leader of the council Linden Kemkaran to “demand the Labour government stops the arrival of migrants by small boats immediately.”

“KCC has no competence in the matters under consideration” explained Rayner, “any competence lies with the Home Office, and beneath them, the Border Force.”

Hood went further, suggesting that the motion was a deliberate attempt to influence the upcoming by-election.

“They’re desperately trying to distract people away from the fact that their previous candidate was imprisoned for coercive and controlling behaviour.”

The motion passed unanimously in the absence of any opposition councillors.

Hood said: “It’s purely performative politics”

1. The term purdah comes from the Persian word parde, meaning curtain or veil. Often used to separate male and female spaces, especially the ruler’s harem. In UK election parlance it still represents a barrier but why “purdah” was the most convenient word available is beyond me!