A County Durham councillor has left Reform UK after being suspended by the party.

Councillor Paul Bean now represents the Crook ward as an Independent following a disciplinary process.

Reform UK suspended Cllr Bean in August amid criticism of alleged social media posts criticising asylum seekers and the party. Campaigners said his comments may have breached civil service impartiality rules due to his day job at the Home Office.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands Cllr Bean was expelled from the party in September and is no longer listed as representing Reform UK on the Durham County Council website.

Writing under the username @dylanandmolly3739, Cllr Bean is alleged to have posted: “97 per cent of asylum seekers are lying about persecution in their home countries and the

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