Reform council leader defends party colleague who called police ‘British hating scum’
Reform leader defends councillor over controversial social media posts
- Reform Councillor Peter Mason, of Staffordshire County Council, apologised for controversial social media posts made before his election, which included criticising police and a racist comment about a statue.
- Mason, who is also the cabinet member for highways, stated the posts were written during a difficult personal period marked by grief and redundancy.
- Political opponents, including Conservative group leader Philip White, have called for Mason's resignation, describing his posts as "abhorrent".
- Ian Cooper, the Reform leader of Staffordshire County Council, mistakenly sent an email defending Mason to all councillors, claiming he was under a "targeted political attack".
- Councillor Mason has refused to resign, stating that people are entitled to make mistakes, particularly during personal difficulties.