Police have been called after a council meeting descended into chaos today.

The first full council meeting of Staffordshire County Council since the resignation of leader Ian Cooper following a racism row and his expulsion from Reform UK was suspended as police were called.

Last week the party's council leader in Staffordshire, Ian Cooper, stepped down after being accused of making racist remarks on social media.

Protestors from Stafford Campaign Against Racism and Fascism gathered outside the meeting before before entering the public gallery.

Reports from the scene say the meeting has been suspended after the group repeatedly chanted inside the council chamber.

Protestors directed their anger towards councillors Peter Mason and Christopher Large who are the latest councillors to find themselves at the centre of a political storm over social media comments, StokeonTrentLive reports .

StokeonTrentLive reporter Phil Corrigan said: "I’m covering an eventful full council meeting at Staffordshire County Council. Proceedings have been suspended due to anti-racism protesters interrupting the meeting by chanting from the public gallery. The police have been called."

The new acting leader of Staffordshire County Council has today issued a 580-word message in an attempt to draw a line under recent scandals.

Reform UK has placed Martin Murray in charge of Staffordshire County Council after kicking Ian Cooper out of the party. Mr Cooper's Reform membership was revoked after past remarks on social media came to light. He quit as council leader and now sits as an independent member.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions yesterday Keir Starmer blasted Reform for putting a "white supremacist" in charge of the council. He said: "In Staffordshire, Reform's leader has been exposed as a white supremacist. It's not a coincidence, Mr Speaker, because chaos and division is the member for Clacton's [ Nigel Farage ] life work."

Mr Cooper's failure to declare a social media account to Reform UK and anger over its content sparked a political storm which saw him booted from the party.

Mr Murray today issued the 580-word statement at the start of today's full council meeting but the meeting was later suspended and Staffordshire Police were called in after anti-racism campaigners disrupted the meeting.