he's as depressed as the rest of us

I had the misfortune of listening to a politicians' phone-in this morning. Reform was represented by Jamie McIver who reckoned leaving the Conservative Party was the best thing he'd ever done - no mention of "dick pics"

A difficult meeting around devolution and plans to cancel elections in May descended into accusations of ‘criminal’ behaviour against Essex County Council’s only Reform UK councillor.

Reform’s Jaymey McIvor said he was not in a position to comment after Labour county councillor Aidan McGurran accused him of having sent an unsolicited picture, which he described as a “criminal offence.”

Councillor McGurran claimed this was the reason Councillor McIvor had been "thrown out" of the Conservative Party. Councillor McIvor had been originally elected to the chamber as a Tory in 2021 but has since moved to Reform.

The comments were made during Essex County Council’s meeting on the decision to ask the Government to cancel local elections scheduled for May to create the best environment for a major reform of local government and secure a devolution deal for Essex.Cllr Jaymey McIvor (front right) with Reform protesters outside Essex County Council before the meeting
Cllr Jaymey McIvor (front right) with Reform protesters outside Essex County Council before the meeting (Image: LDRS)

Lib Dem councillors and Councillor McIvor, who represents Ongar, had opposed cancelling the elections, arguing that it was undemocratic.

This sparked an outburst from Councillor McGurran, representing Pitsea, who said: “I will take no lectures from someone who’s sat here under false pretences.

“He [Councillor McIvor] was elected as a Conservative councillor, he’s now representing Reform, and he hasn’t had the decency to hold a by-election and has no intention to do so.

“And if you’re really interested in transparency and democracy, Jaymey, tell the people of Ongar why you were expelled from the Conservative Party and jumped ship.

“The reason is you sent an unsolicited picture of your private parts, which is a criminal offence.”

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor McIvor said: “I honestly didn’t hear him say that – there was a lot of shouting going on.

“What I will say is, he is referring to why I am no longer in the Conservative Party. All I would simply say is people should worry about their own residents and things going on in their own communities rather than what other councillors are and are not doing.”