Time to move on from racism row, says acting leader

A Reform UK councillor who became acting leader of Staffordshire County Council after his predecessor was kicked out of the party has said it is time to "move on".

Ian Cooper had his membership of Reform revoked after being accused of making racist comments on social media. He then stood down as leader, to serve as an independent. Two fellow Reform councillors have apologised over social media activity.

Speaking on BBC Politics Midlands, Martin Murray said he could not comment on Cooper's social media and would not tell him to stand down as a councillor.

"Reform UK head office have acted upon very, very expediently," he said, adding the party's reputation in Staffordshire was "totally intact".

Cooper took charge of Staffordshire County Council after May's local elections, when his party won control from the Conservatives.

Posts at the centre of complaints about him included one first reported by activist group Hope Not Hate making reference to then foreign secretary David Lammy, which stated "no foreign national or first generation migrant should be allowed to sit in Parliament".

On 3 December, Reform said it would carry out an investigation, two days later Cooper had his membership of the party revoked.

The BBC has repeatedly approached Cooper for comment.

Murray stepped in to replace him as leader of the council on an interim basis and a new council leader will be elected in the new year.

He said: "Due process has taken place and we move on from there."

The new interim leader was asked to clarify whether Cooper was removed from the party because of the content of the social media posts, or because he had not disclosed the social media account he used during vetting.

He replied: "The official line and reasoning for them to revoke his membership was for the non-disclosure of an account."

Referring to the posts on social media, Murray said: "I cannot condemn something I have not personally seen.

"If these are therefore deemed under due process to be racist I absolutely will condemn them."

He added that whether Cooper - now an independent - stood down as a councillor for Tamworth was a decision for him alone.

"I would not influence someone's own personal choice, what they wish to do, no matter who they are or where they are, it is their choice to do what they deem fit themselves," he said.

Reform has said it will not take action against another of its members on Staffordshire Council, Chris Large, who denied writing or endorsing racist comments on TikTok, on an account that had been active since May at least.

Murray said his colleague had "apologised for lack of security" on his account.

Another of Reform's councillors in Staffordshire, Peter Mason, has apologised for comments he made on social media.

Fellow Reform county councillor Wayne Titley stood down just two weeks after May's local elections after attracting criticism for a post on Facebook that called on the Navy to fire on and sink small boats attempting to reach Britain.

Referring to the response regarding claims about Cooper, Julia Buckley, the Labour MP for Shrewsbury, said: "Frankly the allegations are appalling and Reform's response is just woefully inadequate.

"There was no accountability or responsibility, no calling out of racism."

Sam Jones, a Green Party councillor on Warwickshire County Council, said people needed to pull together and "say there is no room for racism".

Robert Alden, the leader of the Conservative group on Birmingham City Council, said he supported calls made by his colleagues in Staffordshire for a "full investigation which is released to the public here, into the failures of their vetting process".

Politics Midlands is on BBC One in the region from 10:00 BST on Sunday, and available afterwards on BBC iPlayer

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