Reform UK Council Leader Accused of Racist social Media Posts
Ian Cooper,the interim chair of Reform UK’s Tamworth branch and a Staffordshire county councillor,is facing calls to resign following the emergence of allegedly racist social media posts. Nine Labor MPs from across the region are demanding Cooper’s removal after the anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate shared the posts with The Guardian.
The posts reportedly include disparaging remarks targeting broadcaster Sangita Myska,questioning her English identity,and a call for British-born lawyer and women’s rights activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu to “F’d off back to Nigeria.” Cooper is also alleged to have claimed diversity is a “lie” and accused migrants from the “global majority south” of attempting to ”colonise the UK.” Further posts reportedly characterize diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) schemes as disguising “oppression” and leading to the exclusion of “indigenous people.”
Labour MP for Tamworth, Sarah Edwards, described the posts as displaying “deeply disturbing white supremacist views,” stating cooper had failed in his “essential duty to uphold the values of equality, integrity and respect for all.” Labour MP Dave Robertson labeled the posts “outright bigotry” and said Cooper had “exposed his far-right and racist opinions.”
This is not the first instance of controversy within Reform UK. Last month, Laura Anne Jones, the sole Reform member of the Senedd, was suspended for using a racial slur. Lancashire councillor Tom Pickup was also suspended for a post calling Keir Starmer a “dicktaker” within a WhatsApp group reportedly containing calls for “mass Islam genocide.”
The Guardian has contacted Cooper, reform UK, and Staffordshire county council for comment.
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has yet to comment on the allegations against Cooper.
