Reform UK council declares “illegal migration emergency”   

Discussion of the motion was to be postponed in light of purdah rules, but was kept on the meeting’s agenda following advice from James Goudie KC.  

The proposed motion, which is thought to be the first of its kind, raised concerns that the county's residents and taxpayers are being forced to bear the consequences of illegal migration in terms of costs, culture, community cohesion, and crime.

It called for the council to demand the Government stop the arrival of migrants by small boats "immediately"; seek to ensure the Government provides full funding to cover the costs to the county council and partner agencies in dealing with the consequences of illegal migration; and press for Kent's emergency services, resilience structures and emergency planning to be "appropriately supported and funded to deal with this crisis".

Prior to discussing the motion at a full council meeting on Thursday (19 March), Conservative councillor Andrew Kennedy enquired with the Electoral Commission about purdah rules regarding an upcoming council by-election in April.

Based on subsequent advice from the commission, the council's monitoring officer determined that it was necessary to remove the motion – alongside two other motions – for time-limited debate from the agenda for 19 March, and for them to be deferred to the next available meeting of full council.

Email correspondence from Kent's democratic services manager, Joel Cook, confirmed that further independent advice from James Goudie KC of 11KBW "unequivocally endorsed" the decision. But the advice also detailed an approach that would allow all three motions to be debated during the meeting.

During the full council meeting, Liberal Democrat Leader Antony Hook described the motion as a "stunt for political purposes during an election" and was based on factually inaccurate information.

The Liberal Democrat group then left the chamber, refusing to take part in the debate.

The council's chair, Richard Palmer, told the remaining members that anyone who appeared to stray into party political language or begin to campaign during the debate would be told to stop speaking and sit down.

Cllr Alister Brady went on to tell members that the Kent Labour group had not been able to see the legal advice from James Goudie KC, and that his group believed the subject of the motion was still in breach of pre-election rules.

He said the Labour group would report the process to the Electoral Commission and the Local Government Ombudsman.

The motion was passed with 45 votes in favour.

Adam Carey