REFORM COUNCILLOR SUSPENDED OVER SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Reform UK has suspended Kirklees councillor Dave Rowan pending investigation after social media posts from 2019 appeared to contain calls for violence and offensive statements. In a post on X from October 2019, an account linked to Rowan wrote "Hang the Dwarf" in response to a post about then Commons Speaker John Bercow. The same account also posted homophobic and Islamophobic content, including statements opposing same-sex couples having children and comments about Muslim population levels. A Reform UK spokesperson confirmed the suspension in a statement.

Rowan was elected to Kirklees Council in May, winning the Colne Valley West ward from Labour. The posts in question predate his election to the council. Additional posts from the account called for Westminster to be demolished and expressed support for Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson. Kirklees Council confirmed that Rowan remains a councillor despite his suspension from the Reform group.

The suspension comes weeks after another Reform councillor faced charges related to social media posts. Glenn Gibbins of Sunderland City Council was charged with posting a grossly offensive message on social media in 2024, which reportedly referenced the Nigerian community. Reform became the largest party on Kirklees Council following May's local elections, when it won 29 seats. Two other Reform councillors have left the party this year: Susan Maxfield moved to stand as an Independent on 3 July, and Craig Wiles stepped down entirely on 26 June.