Ex-Reform councillor steps down after racism row

An ex-Reform UK councillor accused of posting racist comments on social media has quit her role as a borough councillor, weeks before she was due to face re-election.

Lynn Dean was suspended by Reform after it was alleged that racist posts were made on an X account belonging to her.

A spokesperson for the party said the suspension was linked to a failure by Dean to disclose a social media account during its vetting process.

Dean has been contacted about her resignation from Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, where she represented the Knutton ward. She remains a Staffordshire County Council representative for May Bank and Wolstanton, sitting as an independent.

Comments on the social media account included offensive remarks about black people, with some content directed specifically at people from Africa.

They were described by Staffordshire County Council leader Martin Murray as "unacceptable".

He had previously pledged to "come down hard" on any member engaging in racism.

Campaign group Hope Not Hate accused Dean of using social media to call for mosques to be closed and comment that she was getting tired of Muslims.

The campaign group also accused Dean of posting the message: "Indigenous Britain is slipping further into the abyss. We will soon reach the point of no return."

All of the posts on the account have since been deleted.

The accusations against Dean follow a string of recent controversies involving Reform UK councillors in Staffordshire.

Ian Cooper quit as county council leader in December following a probe into racism allegations linked to social media activity.

His successor Chris Large exited as leader of the Reform group on the council, citing a bereavement. After his departure, it emerged he was the subject of an inquiry into racist posts on TikTok which he denied writing.

Staffordshire County Council said it was aware of the complaints against Dean, and added that where concerns were raised about the conduct of a serving member these would be considered in line with the council's code of conduct.

A spokesperson for Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council said that Dean had informed the authority of her resignation and that the Knutton seat would be contested as part of the council's all-out elections on 7 May.

A full list of candidates will be published on the council's website nearer the time.

All 44 seats on the council are due to be contested, and Knutton will now remain vacant until the election.

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