Overview
- Acting leader Martin Murray told the meeting he remains in post and condemned “visceral, hurtful” messages from serving and ex-councillors.
- Chris Large, named leader-in-waiting earlier this month, has stepped back citing a family bereavement and denies personal responsibility for activity on a TikTok account in his name.
- Former leader Ian Cooper, expelled from Reform UK last year over an undisclosed social-media account, now sits as an independent and, along with Large and Peter Mason, was absent from the meeting.
- Peter Mason apologized for pre-election tweets about black women and the police, which Murray said the party has accepted.
- Protesters gathered outside County Buildings calling for Large, Mason and Cooper to go, as Conservative leaders urged due process and a permanent leader to give direction.