Reform threatens to take Keir Starmer to court over ‘plot to snatch control of Kent County Council’

There have been more than 60 references to the Reform-run council since the 2025 Local Elections, including at Prime Minister’s Questions earlier this month.

Sir Keir, Rachel Reeves and David Lammy have all used Commons appearances in recent weeks to attack Reform’s record in Kent.

Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice is now claiming Labour is trying to “sow a loss of confidence” in the Garden of England in a bid to impose central control.

Mr Tice said: “We have strong reason to believe what they’re trying to do is sow a loss of confidence in one of our councils and they’ve targeted Kent.

“We’re very suspicious they’re going to send in commissioners on a spurious narrative – either over the Christmas period or immediately into the New Year – and take control of the council, saying we’re incompetent and can’t run it.

“We’ve discovered what we think is essentially a coup attempt by Labour. So we are calling out this attempted coup and will be ready to thwart it in the courts immediately.”

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However, a Labour Party spokesman denied Mr Tice’s claims, labelling the Boston & Skegness MP’s fears as “utter nonsense”.

Reform needs to “start running Kent council competently instead of whining like babies,” the spokesman added.

The row comes after Mr Farage accused Labour of “rigging” Prime Minister’s Questions to enable Sir Keir to launch scathing criticisms against Reform-run councils.

Two Labour MPs from Kent have been selected six times to ask questions in the past two months alone.

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Mr Farage has decided to watch the weekly despatch box bout from the public gallery to express his frustrations with the barbs directed towards Reform UK.

Mr Tice has also confirmed Reform UK has instructed its lawyers to begin preparations for getting a court injunction should Whitehall move to appoint a commissioner.

Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran added: “KCC is clearly being used as a political football in an attempt to discredit Reform UK.

“I am beginning to think that the Government is preparing the ground to insinuate that KCC requires intervention. Again, nothing could be further from the truth.”

However, Reform UK previously hit the headlines after suspending nine Kent councillors following an internal spat over policy decisions.

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Despite Labour denying it is plotting to take control of the Garden of England, the Local Government Act of 1999 enables ministers to send in commissioners if a council falls short of its “best value duties”.

Such a decision is usually only taken if a council is struggling financially and ministers argue the local authority needs extra help in meeting its legal requirement to balance the books.

Over recent months, Sir Keir has accused Reform of causing “chaos in Kent”.

During a heated Prime Minister’s Questions exchange on November 12, Sir Keir revealed his “sympathy is with the people of Kent whose lives are being disrupted by the staggering incompetence of Reform”.

He also made a passing reference to Kent County Council after being asked about Reform-run Durham County Council on October 22.

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However, Mr Farage has also hinted at launching legal action against Sir Keir’s decision to cancel a number of local election contests slated for May next year.

The Reform UK leader said: “We are actively pursuing a judicial review action against the Government over yet another attempt to delay elections where they fear Reform will win.

“Labour’s plans to cancel even more votes this year than last year must be challenged.”

Mr Farage is also drafting legislation aimed at scuppering Labour’s plans to delay the contests.