Reform council leader claims Tory threatened him

The Reform UK leader of Leicestershire County Council has claimed he was "physically threatened" by a Conservative councillor during a private meeting.

Dan Harrison has alleged Tory councillor Craig Smith threatened to "knock my block off", and said he had subsequently reported the matter to the police.

Harrison revealed details of the alleged incident during a meeting at County Hall on Wednesday.

Smith, deputy leader of the authority's Conservative group, told the BBC he denied the allegation and was seeking legal advice over Harrison's remark.

When asked about Harrison's allegation, Leicestershire Police said inquiries were being carried out into "an allegation of a verbal threat made towards another person in October".

The force said no arrests had been made and investigations continued.

Speaking in the council chamber, Harrison said the alleged incident happened during a meeting he and Smith had on 28 October to discuss "political and personal" attacks made by councillors "from both sides" since Reform took control of the authority in May.

He said the meeting, also attended by Reform deputy council leader Kevin Crook and Conservative group leader Deborah Taylor, was intended to "draw a line" under the attacks and try to agree a new protocol to prevent them in the future.

Harrison said the meeting involved a "robust exchange of views".

"Mr Smith threatened me with physical violence - to knock my block off if I hurt somebody he cared for," Harrison told the meeting.

Harrison said Smith, who was present at Wednesday's meeting, had apologised after the meeting but that he had not accepted it.

Responding to Harrison's remarks, Taylor told the meeting: "I'm speaking on behalf of Mr Smith, who isn't able to respond directly because he is in the process of seeking legal advice regarding the leader's statement.

"I was personally present at the meeting on 28 October and can confirm without hesitation that the account entered in the leader's position statement does not reflect what took place."

She said the description of the tone and content of the meeting was "wholly inaccurate".

She claimed both she and Smith were threatened in the meeting.

"For further clarity, Mr Smith completely rejects the account [in the leader's statement] and he is prepared to provide a full and accurate account to the police if he's required to do so."

She criticised Harrison for disclosing the allegation in the forum of the meeting.

Jewel Miah, leader of the Labour group at the council, told the meeting: "We're embarrassing ourselves.

"This kind of thing shouldn't be aired in public.

"I understand the seriousness of it, but it should be sorted out behind closed doors and it seems to not have been. I think an investigation is required."

Liberal Democrat group leader Michael Mullaney added: "It's very disappointing that we have got to a situation where personal disputes and threats of violence are down as the main issue for discussion.

"Hopefully these issues can be resolved so we can concentrate on the issues we know we need to concentrate on as an authority."

The county council declined to comment.

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