Reform UK has suspended a Durham county councillor amid criticism of alleged social media posts criticising asylum seekers, after it emerged he works the government department processing asylum claims.
Campaigners claim comments from an account allegedly owned by Councillor Paul Bean, who represents the Crook division, may have breached civil service impartiality rules due to his day job at the Home Office.
The newly-elected councillor declared his employment as a civil servant for the Home Office - the government department that processes asylum and immigration claims - in the council’s register of interests.
“I work as an Asylum Decision Maker for the [Home Office] and I can tell you with authority that 93% of asylum seekers to the UK are men between 18-35 and 92% of them are refused asylum,” one post reads.
It adds: “The truth is the vast majority of asylum seekers are actually economic migrants abusing the asylum system.”
The anti-extremism organisation Hope Not Hate exposed the posts as it scrutinises the roles and actions of Reform UK councillors.
A Reform UK spokesman said: "Councillor Bean was suspended from Reform UK on August 19 pending investigation."
Cllr Bean was one of 65 Reform councillors elected to Durham County Council in May, as the party gained control of the local authority for the first time. Shortly after Reform assumed control, he was assigned the role of vice-chair of the county council’s statutory licensing committee.
Posting under the username @dylanandmolly3739, another comment reads: “97% of asylum seekers are lying about persecution in their home countries and the other 3% have been credible to the point of being believable. Source: me. Guess what job I do.”
The civil service code states that employees must not “allow your personal political views to determine any advice you give or your actions.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “While it is our longstanding policy not to comment on individual cases, all civil servants must adhere to the civil service code, and are expected to carry out their role with integrity, honesty, objectivity and political impartiality.
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“Whenever the civil service code is breached, the matter will be fully investigated and disciplinary action taken as appropriate.”
Former council leader and Liberal Democrat councillor, Amanda Hopgood, said: “I welcome the Home Office looking into this in order that openness and transparency is displayed so that people can be assured that their local councillors are capable of being able to represent all residents without prejudice.”
Cllr Bean was contacted for comment but did not respond.
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