Former leader of Worcestershire County Council suspended from party
Jo Monk retains her position as the formal leader until later this week
Jo Monk, former leader of Worcestershire County Council and Reform UK group leader, has been suspended by her party.
Her son, Ashley Monk, who is also a councillor, faces suspension reportedly for damaging the party's reputation.
This follows a vote among the party's councillors which led to Jo Monk being replaced by Alan Amos, a former Conservative MP, as the leader of the Reform UK group.
Despite the suspension, Jo Monk retains her position as the formal leader of the county council, a role Alan Amos is anticipated to inherit at the next full council meeting on Thursday.
Reform UK confirmed the news last night, telling us: “Cllrs Ashley Monk and Jo Monk have been suspended from Reform UK pending investigation after, respectively, bringing the party into disrepute, and refusing to accept the democratic decision of the Reform UK Group on Worcestershire County Council.”
'It became clear I was no longer welcome'
Now serving as an Independent Councillor, Cllr Ashley Monk said: "I have today withdrawn my membership of Reform UK after it became clear I was no longer welcome.
"I was informed that I had been suspended from the party following my criticism of the Reform Worcestershire Leader, Cllr Alan Amos, a man who first started out with the Tories, before switching to Labour, then back to the Tories, and now to Reform.
"I want to apologise to the residents who have only just put their trust in me at Borough Council level. I know many people voted for me under the Reform banner, and I do not take that lightly. I wanted to stay with Reform. I was fighting for Reform's values.
"My political views and values still align with Reform despite this latest move. These will not change. I believe in Brexit, I believe in stopping the boats, and I believe in saving our country, our county and our town.
"The reason I stood for office, and the reason I was elected, was to speak out whenever I saw bad things happening. I tried to do that within Reform, but instead of engaging with me I felt undermined and pushed out by Cllr Alan Amos who told a group of people my 'days were numbered'.
"My priorities have not changed. I will keep working hard for local people, raising issues, challenging poor decisions, and standing up for the communities I represent."
Reform UK is currently the largest group on the council, however, they do not hold a majority.