Nigel Farage and the Reform UK party are under pressure to dismiss a senior council leader following the emergence of a series of allegedly racist social media posts.
Allegations of Racist and Supremacist Views
Ian Cooper, who was elected as the leader of Staffordshire County Council in May, stands accused of posting numerous offensive comments online. The posts, first uncovered by the anti-fascist campaign group Hope Not Hate and shared with the Guardian, reportedly include a call for a black British lawyer to "F'd off back to Nigeria".
In other alleged comments, Cooper is said to have described London Mayor Sadiq Khan as a "narcissistic Pakistani". He also allegedly claimed that migrants from the "global majority south" were "intent on colonising the UK, destroying all that has gone before". In a post targeting Justice Secretary David Lammy earlier this year, he reportedly wrote that "No foreign national or first generation migrant should be allowed to sit in parliament."
Internal Investigation and Political Fallout
In response to the revelations, Reform UK confirmed on Wednesday that it had launched an urgent internal investigation. The probe focuses on Cooper's "non-disclosure of social media accounts". The council leader, who has twice stood as Reform's parliamentary candidate for Tamworth, has not publicly responded to the allegations.
The controversy has triggered immediate political repercussions. Nine Labour MPs from the region have demanded Cooper's resignation. Dave Robertson, one of the MPs, labelled the posts "outright bigotry" and said they exposed Cooper's "far-right and racist opinions".
Sarah Edwards, the Labour MP for Tamworth, stated the posts displayed "deeply disturbing white supremacist views". She argued that such ideas have no place in society or public office, adding that Cooper had failed in his fundamental duty to uphold equality and respect.
Pattern of Offensive Behaviour
The alleged posts span several years and target multiple high-profile figures. In an April post directed at broadcaster Sangita Myska, Cooper allegedly stated she was English "only in your dreams", questioning her ethnic and cultural background.
He also allegedly attacked British-born lawyer and activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu three years ago, using a derogatory nickname and suggesting she should leave for Nigeria. Furthermore, he is accused of claiming that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) schemes disguise "oppression" and enable the exclusion of "indigenous people".
This incident is not isolated within Reform UK. Two other party politicians were suspended last month over offensive messages. Laura Anne Jones, the party's sole member of the Welsh Senedd, used a racial slur, while Lancashire councillor Tom Pickup was suspended for a derogatory comment about Keir Starmer in a WhatsApp group where members allegedly called for "mass Islam genocide".
The Guardian has contacted Ian Cooper, Reform UK, and Staffordshire County Council for comment. The outcome of Reform's investigation is now awaited as pressure mounts for decisive action.
