Reform UK councillor suspended over offensive social media posts
A Reform UK councillor has been suspended after resurfaced social media posts appeared to show him calling for the Commons speaker to be hanged, reports BritPanorama.
Kirklees councillor David Rowan’s account linked to a post about then-Commons speaker John Bercow from October 2019 that stated: “Hang the Dwarf.” Additionally, he made homophobic comments asserting that he doesn’t believe “gays should have kids full stop.”
A spokesperson for Reform UK confirmed that, “Cllr Rowan has been suspended from Reform UK pending investigation.” In another post, he called for Westminster to be converted into a Wetherspoons, stating, “Think we should get our pick forks and whippets and demolish London.”
Rowan, who was elected in May, also appeared to express support for far-right campaigner Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, declaring: “Thommy Robinson I salute you for caring.”
This incident aligns with ongoing concerns expressed by Nigel Farage regarding safety issues following the murder of Reform UK’s Ann Widdecombe. Farage has previously emphasized heightened dangers for public figures in the political sphere.
Widdecombe’s death on 8 July, where she was violently attacked in her home, prompted immediate security reassessments within Reform UK. Counter-terror police have reopened a year-old investigation into an alleged firebomb attack at Farage’s residence, reported as a “lit incendiary device” left in his mailbox back in April 2025.
In a press conference, Farage lamented, “It’s a great tragedy that it took the death of Ann for the security services in Britain to finally take seriously the safety and security of Reform politicians and Reform prominent figures.” He added that his party had been treated “very differently to everybody else.”
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice also faced intimidation, pressing a panic button at his home after an aggressive encounter outside parliament last Christmas, which resulted in an arrest. Following Widdecombe’s murder, the party arranged round-the-clock security for its MPs.
The investigation continues, with Joshua Kerry, 28, charged with Widdecombe’s murder on 20 July, remaining in custody pending his next court appearance.
As the political climate in the UK appears increasingly charged, incidents like these underscore significant concerns regarding the safety of public officials.
