A full council meeting in Stafford was brought to a standstill on Thursday morning after anti racism campaigners disrupted proceedings from the public gallery.
Councillors paused the meeting while police were called.
Protest in the gallery
Members of Stafford Campaign Against Racism and Fascism began chanting shortly after the meeting started in the chamber at County Buildings on Martin Street.
They refused to leave and said they would remain until three Reform councillors accused of making racist or offensive social media posts stepped down.
The meeting was suspended for around forty minutes while police were requested.
Officers entered the gallery a short time later and spoke with the group. The protestors agreed to leave without being removed, and the chamber eventually reconvened after lunch.
Before entering the building the group had also held a demonstration outside, carrying placards naming the councillors they want to resign.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, SCARF convenor Damon Hoppe said,
“We are absolutely outraged and disgusted at the racist messages coming from the Reform councillors. It’s not just one councillor who has been doing this, there are three of them.
They are not fit to be councillors. They should resign and allow the people of Staffordshire to elect new representatives.”
He added,
“Racism is such a problem because it denies someone their personhood. People like that cannot represent the people of Staffordshire.
“I believe they deceived people into voting for them six months ago. If voters had known the racist stuff they were saying I don’t think they would have supported Reform.”
Resignation and wider context
The protest followed the resignation of council leader Ian Cooper earlier in the week after allegations that he had posted racist comments on X and YouTube about Black and Asian public figures.
Reform UK later revoked his membership following an investigation into undeclared accounts.
Cllr Cooper did not attend Thursday’s meeting.
Cabinet member Peter Mason has previously apologised for making offensive comments on X about Black women, the police and other groups before he was elected.
Cabinet member Chris Large has denied responsibility for a TikTok account in his name that endorsed a racist post.
Council responds in the chamber
Deputy leader Martin Murray, now acting council leader under the authority’s constitution, opened the meeting by acknowledging the tension of recent days.
He said,
“It has certainly been a difficult few days for this council and I truly do recognise the strength of feeling surrounding recent events.
But please, do not forget all the positive, and frankly groundbreaking, great work we are doing here in this council.”
Cllr Murray added,
“I want to make it absolutely clear here today, that I condemn any form of racism and hate, on any platform.
“Yes, raise your concerns, but use the proper channels. We must all, and I mean everyone, stop this visceral name-calling, the use of language or tropes that label whole groups. It’s not just offensive, it is dangerous to all serving politicians, our own recent history has shown that.”
Opposition Conservative group leader Philip White welcomed the remarks but said action had to follow.
He told the chamber,
“I never thought our county of Staffordshire would be dragged into the dark place that it has been in the last few months.
“I welcome your condemnation of racism, leader, but those words will ring hollow if there is not action on these matters. There should have been action already. I’m astonished that we still have a cabinet member who has admitted to making these remarks.”
Green councillor Jack Rose also urged any member holding “extremist or racially aggravated views” to step down.
Cllr White later questioned Cllr Mason’s position in the cabinet. The meeting heard that because his posts predated his election, the code of conduct could not be applied.
Cllr Murray said “due process has to be adhered to” and noted that Cllr Mason had apologised for his language.
A permanent council leader is expected to be appointed in the new year.
