Reform UK councillor Dave Rowan has been suspended from the party pending investigation<\/p>\n
A Reform UK councillor has been suspended from the party after non-recent social media posts appeared to show him calling for a former Commons Speaker to be hanged.<\/p>\n
In a post on X from 2019, Kirklees councillor Dave Rowan appeared to write "Hang the Dwarf" in relation to a post about John Bercow.<\/p>\n
Also in 2019, before he was a councillor, Rowan appeared to post homophobic and Islamophobic statements.<\/p>\n
A Reform spokesperson confirmed Rowan had been suspended pending investigation.<\/p>\n
On X, Rowan appeared to write: "As a parent not at school.. I don't beleive gays should have kids full stop.."<\/p>\n
A separate message said: "Too many muslims mi thinks.. Make sure you take a marker pen Good luck."<\/p>\n
A Reform UK spokesman said in a statement: "Cllr Rowan has been suspended from Reform UK pending investigation."<\/p>\n
Rowan was elected to Kirklees Council in May, winning the Colne Valley West ward from Labour.<\/p>\n
Reform became the largest party on Kirklees Council when it won 29 seats at May's local elections.<\/p>\n
Two Reform councillors left the party earlier this year when Susan Maxfield moved to stand as an Independent on 3 July and Craig Wiles stepped down entirely from his post due to health issues on 26 June.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Kirklees Council said: "We are aware that Cllr Rowan is currently suspended from the Reform UK group but remains a Kirklees councillor."<\/p>\n
Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.<\/p>\n
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