Leicestershire County Council leader faces pressure to step down after a vote on his leadership

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands that Reform UK councillors met on Tuesday (October 28) to discuss the county council’s direction under its leader, Councillor Dan Harrison.

It is understood that, according to one source, discontent has been forming within Reform due to what is being called a “lack of direction” under Cllr Harrison. Recent by-election results have increased pressure on the party leader too.

Tuesday’s vote centred on whether Reform members were happy with Cllr Harrison’s leadership – and it is understood there was a majority of one vote in his favour.

Despite growing tensions in the party, Cllr Harrison and those close to him within the cabinet say they feel “confident” about the administration’s future and his current leadership.

Cllr Harrison told the LDRS there were several councillors who were “disenchanted” but said he received a “positive response” during Tuesday’s meeting.

He said: “There are those wanting to do things and wanting to see me go and hope their chances will improve. It’s simple politics.”

Concerns over leadership come as Reform UK has struggled to win seats in multiple by-elections in Leicestershire in recent months, including a county council election in Shepshed, which Labour snatched following the resignation of a Reform councillor.

Cllr Harrison admitted that the recent by-election tactics “hadn’t been working” and that the party would be taking a “different approach”.

He said: “We’re one of the most efficient councils in the country now and we’re doing really well. Head office is pleased with the work we are putting out and how we’re handling it professionally.

“I’m running it professionally for the best interests of the public of Leicestershire – they’re my guiding principles”.

The leader of the council said he believed much of the current discontent stemmed from councillors believing Reform should take a “different approach” and that its policies should be “more Reform”.

Cllr Andrew Hamilton-Gray, the party’s whip, told the LDRS that Reform councillors had a “very constructive, open debate” during the meeting and much of their success was down to Cllr Harrison.

He added: “We gained constructive feedback from all members in the room and we’re working as a group now to improve our processes.

“We’ve had so many great successes under Dan’s leadership when we don’t have majority control. We are one of the most successful county councils that Reform has led”.

However, calls from opposition members have been growing to force Cllr Harrison to step down following what they call “bad decisions” and Reform UK’s “wheels falling off”.

Conservative opposition leader Deborah Taylor is among those to call on the leader to step down.

She said: “There’s been a lot of bad decisions or direction. The closing of the SEND schools, the changing of the school term dates and LGR.

“When you hear the group is split, is he able to concentrate on providing for residents or is he concentrating on infighting and trying to keep his group on side?

“I don’t know how he can continue managing a group that is so split. Even an experienced leader trying to lead a minority administration with that much discontent in the ranks would be a huge task”.

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Michael Mullaney also said he believes that the “wheels are falling off the Reform bandwagon”.

He added: “They’ve gone down from 30 per cent in the polls, now down to only just 20 per cent.

“Clearly they’re losing steam, losing support nationally, and obviously that will impact their support in Leicestershire.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily a Dan Harrison problem – more of a Nigel Farage problem”.