Wolverhampton councillor expelled from chamber in row over Ann Widdecombe's death

A councillor was ordered to leave a meeting of Wolverhampton Council following a heated exchange surrounding the death of Ann Widdecombe.

Councillor Corey Kendrick was ordered to leave the council chamber following a clash with council leader Councillor Stephen Simkins.

Councillor Kendrick, Reform UK member for Wednesfield South, had accused Councillor Simkins of using the former government minister’s alleged murder as a political weapon.

Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Paul Singh, asked Councillor Kendrick on three occasions to retract his comments before asking him to leave the chamber.

The rumpus comes just three weeks after Reform UK opposition leader Councillor Celia Hibbert had led her members out of the previous council meeting, following another clash with Councillor Simkins.

During the meeting on Wednesday night (July 15), Labour’s Councillor Simkins had said councillors should avoid “cheap, populist political point scoring” to decry each other’s efforts.

“May I say, with regards to Ann Widdecombe, I think it’s abhorrent that there is a political environment that’s being whipped up by certain parties across this country that creates that kind of environment where it’s accepted,” he added.

Councillor Kendrick replied: “Councillor Simkins, you’ve got no right to use Ann Widdecombe’s murder as a political weapon.”

Following a brief consultation where the mayor consulted with his adviser, Councillor Kendrick added: “I would like to clarify that a right-wing politician has been killed, and Councillor Simkins is vilifying the right wing when we all know it’s the left wing that do such conduct.”

As arguing broke out in the chamber, the mayor told Councillor Kendrick that his accusation did not represent what Councillor Simkins had said.

Councillor Simkins then said Councillor Kendrick should withdraw his accusation. After refusing three requests from the mayor Councillor Kendrick left the chamber to a slow handclap.