Seven former Reform councillors join Rupert Lowe's new political party
Seven former Reform UK councillors have joined Rupert Lowe's new political party, Restore Britain, and will form a new group at Kent County Council.
The former members - six of whom had been kicked out of Reform - have joined the party Independent MP Mr Lowe launched last Friday.
A Reform UK source said Restore are "welcome to our dregs", adding: "Let's not forget that six of these councillors were expelled from Reform.
"If this is Restore's bar for councillors then it must be very low indeed."
The new Restore Britain group members are Paul Thomas, Oliver Bradshaw and Brian Black, who have been sitting as the Independent Group, Robert Ford and Isabella Kemp from the current Independent Reformers Group, and independent-sitting councillors Maxine Fothergill and Dean Burns.
Mr Lowe, who is also a former Reform UK MP, posted the defection announcement on X and wrote "there will be many more to come".
"I am delighted to announce that seven Kent County Councillors have today joined Restore Britain, and they will form an official Restore Britain group on the council," he said.
"This is a very important day for our party.
Restore Britain was set up as a "political movement" by Mr Lowe after his fractious exit from Reform UK.
It is now expected to act as an umbrella political party with locally based political parties as its partners.
On Wednesday, Mr Lowe posted on X that his party had published its deportation policy "detailing exactly how we can remove millions of illegal migrants".
Mr Lowe has also said on X that there will be no national whip for Restore Britain councillors on local issues.
Reacting to the move, ex-Reform UK councillor and former leader of the Independent Reformers Group Bill Barrett said he wished his colleagues the very best, but added that Restore Britain "is too right wing for me".
"I sit in the centre ground of British politics where broad churches are made and that is where I will remain," the independent councillor said.
Kent County Council leader of the opposition, Liberal Democrat Antony Hook said: "It is hard to keep track of the ever-changing groups leaving Reform.
"Lib Dems will continue to work hard for local people and argue for council policies that benefit all the people who live in our wonderful county."
Reform won control of Kent County Council in May, securing 57 out of 81 seats.
It now has 48 councillors after removing nine, most of whom appear to be involved in a video of council leader Linden Kemkaran shouting and swearing at her members.