Tories suspend leader at Worcestershire council after he made deal to oust Reform

"The Conservatives have suspended the party's leader at Worcestershire county council after he made a deal with the Greens and Liberal Democrats to oust Reform. Reform UK gained control of the council a year ago but its tenure has been marked by a series of controversies and political infighting. This included a bitter leadership battle in which the now former Reform councillor Jo Monk was replaced as leader of the council in April."

"At a full council meeting to elect a new leader on Thursday, the party lost minority control of the authority after the Conservatives teamed up with the Green party, Lib Dems and independents to form an alliance. The Green councillor Matt Jenkins is now leading the council. Cllr Adam Kent, the leader of the Tory group in Worcestershire, was suspended from the party after the meeting."

"Kevin Hollinrake MP said it did not approve of an arrangement with the Greens and its position was clear from the start. [Kent] told the national party he would not do a deal with the Greens, Hollinrake said. Then he went ahead and put together a rainbow coalition involving Green councillors anyway. Worse, his group was told something that was not true. Fellow Conservative councillors were given the impression that this deal had party support when it did not. This was dishonest."

"Speaking to the BBC before his suspension, Kent said residents in Worcester had suffered appallingly due to the instability of Reform and at some point, responsible councillors have to stop standing on the sidelines. On national policy there are many areas where we continue to disagree with the Greens however, local government is not Westminster, he said. It is unclear how his suspension will effect the coalition in Worcestershire."

Reform UK gained control of Worcestershire County Council a year earlier, but its leadership period included controversies and internal infighting. A leadership battle in April replaced Reform councillor Jo Monk as council leader. At a full council meeting, Reform lost minority control when Conservatives joined with Green councillors, Liberal Democrats, and independents to form an alliance. Green councillor Matt Jenkins became council leader. Conservative group leader Adam Kent was suspended from the party after the meeting. Conservative chair Kevin Hollinrake said the party did not approve of an arrangement with the Greens and that Kent had misled fellow councillors about party support. Kent said residents had suffered due to Reform instability and argued local government differs from national politics.

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