Kemi Badenoch has expressed shock that Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice refused to condemn comments made by a suspended Sunderland councillor. Glenn Gibbins, elected for the Hylton Castle ward, had posted about the 'amount of Nigerians in town', suggesting they be 'melted' to fill potholes.
The Conservative leader described the remarks as 'disgusting' and criticised Tice for not directly condemning them. Speaking on Sky News, she said: 'When they don't say that, then we need to be worried. And I was really shocked when Richard Tice was interviewed that he would not condemn those comments.'
On BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Tice had said: 'Like any party, we have internal party processes to look where people have said or done the wrong thing.' He later posted on X that he had condemned anything wrong or inappropriate, which included Gibbins's remarks.
Godwin Ejeh, chair of Sunderland Nigerian Community, called the comments unacceptable. Gibbins apologised, stating the posts were intended as jokes but were in poor taste. Reform UK confirmed his suspension, and he now sits as an independent.
