Tory group leader suspended for helping to topple Reform

The Conservative Party has suspended its group leader in Worcestershire, after he struck a deal with the Green Party and others to oust Worcestershire County Council's minority Reform UK administration.

Councillor Adam Kent's suspension came after a full council meeting on Thursday that saw the Tories team up with the Green Party, Liberal Democrats and independents to form an alliance.

The move saw Reform lose control of the council after 12 months in charge.

After the meeting, a Conservative Party spokesperson said: "The chairman was very clear on a number of occasions that the Conservative Party was totally opposed to the proposed arrangement at Worcestershire County Council.

"The Conservative group leader did not make our opposition clear to his fellow Worcestershire councillors, and has been suspended pending investigation.

"Conservative campaign headquarters has made clear to our councillors that this arrangement must not go ahead."

It is not yet clear how the suspension will affect the coalition.

Speaking after the deal had been struck earlier today, Kent said, of the new power-sharing arrangement: "On national policy there are many areas where we continue to disagree with the Greens - however, local government is not Westminster.

"Over the last year residents have suffered appallingly due to the instability of Reform in Worcestershire.

"At some point, responsible councillors have to stop standing on the side lines."

Green councillor Matt Jenkins was made the new council leader of the coalition.

Discussing his new role, he said it was a "privilege" but also "daunting", because "we've got massive cuts, but we don't want to cut things that affect residents".

Jenkins said it would be "a tough nine months" leading up to February's budget.

The new council leader said: "We need to sort out a lot of things, but by working together, hopefully, we can get things done without damaging vital services that residents value."

Asked about what the appointment meant to him personally, he said:"It's great for me, but it's not something that I've really been pushing for in my political career.

"I joined the Green Party because I was concerned about the environment and all those types of issues, and of course I want to do well for my residents."

The change in administration comes after former Reform councillor Jo Monk, who was leader of the authority, was suspended from the party after losing a bitter internal leadership battle.

Up until this week Reform held 25 of the 57 seats on the council, with the party running a minority administration after it came to power following last year's local elections.

The party opted to swap its own leader following weeks of in-fighting behind closed doors.

Monk was suspended and removed from her position as leader last month for "refusing to accept the democratic decision of the Reform UK group" that led to councillor Alan Amos taking charge of the group.

Speaking at Thursday's meeting, Monk said: "I'm quite shocked, it didn't go as I expected."

"I have been unfairly treated, mainly by my group. Head office I still have respect for, Nigel Farage and Richard Tice especially, who has been very kind and helpful to me.

"But apart from that, the group wouldn't listen to me and they're very naive. A lot of them are very young and they listened to just one person who wanted the leadership."

Monk, who officially resigned as leader of the council on Thursday morning before a vote could take place, also confirmed she had resigned from her party and was now an independent councillor.

Asked if she would work with the new administration, she said: "If the administration want me and my experience as leader then yes, I'll work with anybody, as long as it's for the public."

Monk's time in office was marked by controversy, with council tax going up by 9% and the authority needing £59.9m in emergency government help to avoid effective bankruptcy.

Reform leader Nigel Farage previously described the council as "bankrupt", but added: "We didn't make it bankrupt, we inherited it."

Farage also said he wished the party "hadn't bothered" to take minority control of the authority because of its financial problems.

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