Leader of Reform council alleges that Conservative party member threatened him

The leader of Leicestershire County Council from Reform UK has reported being physically threatened by a Conservative councillor during a private meeting. Dan Harrison stated that Tory councillor Craig Smith allegedly told him he would "knock my block off" and confirmed he had informed the police about the incident.

Harrison shared the details of the alleged threat during a session at County Hall on Wednesday. Smith, who serves as deputy leader of the council's Conservative group, denied the claims and mentioned he is seeking legal guidance regarding Harrison's statement.

Leicestershire Police said they are investigating "an allegation of a verbal threat made towards another person in October." No arrests have been made, and inquiries are ongoing.

According to Harrison, the alleged confrontation occurred on 28 October during a meeting aimed at addressing political and personal attacks from councillors since Reform UK took control of the council in May. The meeting included Harrison, Smith, Reform deputy council leader Kevin Crook, and Conservative group leader Deborah Taylor. Its purpose was to establish a new protocol to prevent further disputes.

Harrison described the meeting as a "robust exchange of views" and said, "Mr Smith threatened me with physical violence to knock my block off if I hurt somebody he cared for." He added that although Smith apologized afterward, he had not accepted the apology.

Taylor responded by saying Smith was unable to comment directly due to seeking legal advice. She disputed Harrison's account, asserting that it did not reflect the actual events. Taylor stated that both she and Smith felt threatened during the meeting and emphasized that Smith is ready to give a full statement to the police if required. She also criticized Harrison for raising the matter publicly during the council meeting.

Labour group leader Jewel Miah called for the issue to be resolved privately, warning that public airing of such disputes was embarrassing. Liberal Democrat group leader Michael Mullaney expressed disappointment that personal threats were dominating council discussions, urging for a return to focus on broader council responsibilities.

Author: Natalie Monroe