Tice's 'suck it up' message reignites Reform scandal

The leadership of Reform UK-led Kent County Council (KCC) is under fire after appearing to make light of a previous controversy.

Richard Tice MP, the party's deputy leader, was pictured holding a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase "Suck it up", accompanied by the word "Linden" and a single kiss.

The image was posted on social media by council leader Linden Kemkaran on Wednesday and references leaked footage of a heated virtual meeting in October last year in which she told one member who had queried her decision-making to "suck it up".

Reform UK has been approached for a comment.

Seven councillors said to have been responsible for the leak were later expelled by the party, although each protested their innocence.

Bill Barrett, leader of the Independent Reformers' Group (IRG) at KCC, said: "Richard Tice's endorsement of Linden Kemkaran's sweary rant is both wholly unprofessional and degrading to the honour and dignity of the institution that is KCC."

Fellow IRG member Isabella Kemp was booted out of Reform for her alleged involvement in the leak – which she denied – and lost her job at the party's headquarters.

She called the message from the T-shirt photo "contradictory", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Our careers and financial position were adversely affected by all of this, and yet they trivialise it this way," she said.

"It's obviously in bad taste, but if Linden wants to make light of the situation, that's down to her."

Conservative member, Sarah Hudson, said she found it "all rather unsavoury".

She added: "There's no substance to it – just playground politics."

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.