Kent County Council used taxpayers’ money to pay for daytrips for migrants, it has been claimed. The head of the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE) for Reform UK Zia Yusuf made the claims on X as he also alleged that migrants enjoyed trips to trampolining, bowling and crazy golf with funds taken from the “asylum budget”.
In a video he said: “At Reform we speak to so many of you who tell us that you can’t afford to take your family out on trips. You set your alarm in the morning, you work hard all day, the cost of your weekly shop keeps going up, your energy bills and taxes keep going up. We hear that you can barely afford the money or time to enjoy trips to bowling or the cinema so why is your taxpayer money being spent?”
Several prominent Reform UK MPs reposted Yusuf’s video as Lee Anderson said “You couldn’t make this up.”
Doubts were cast over the claims however, with Liberal Democrat MP Mike Martin responding: “Clown show. Kent County Council doesn’t have an “asylum budget” so it looks like you’re talking nonsense.”
Yusuf also claimed that the council had spent £456,458 for external auditors.
He said: “If you’re furious about the way Kent County Council are spending your money, take solace in the fact that their ‘external auditors’ charged the taxpayer £450k for their services.
“They’ll charge even more this year. What a racket.”
Yusuf has had a turbulent fortnight after resigning from his role as Reform UK’s chairman in the wake of new MP Sarah Pochin’s calls for the burka to be banned in the UK, before sensationally returning to the fold 48 hours later.
In his new role as Head of DOGE, influenced by a similar organisation initially led by Elon Musk in the US, the former tech entrepreneur has met with council chiefs in Kent and West Northamptonshire as he vows to financially inspect all Reform-run councils.
The election victory in Kent is especially significant given the impact illegal migration has had on the area.
Since 2020, thousands of migrants have crossed the English Channel on small boats before landing in the county.
Reform’s Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran has suggested that she could stop taxpayer-funded English lessons for migrants in favour of cost-effective apps such as Rosetta Stone.
