Dan Harrison, the Reform UK leader of Leicestershire County Council, has announced he is standing down after comments he made about staff redundancies were leaked online - a development that surprised absolutely no one who has ever witnessed a leaked recording of a politician speaking candidly.

Harrison, who had held the role since May 2025, said on Monday he made the decision after taking advice from senior Reform colleagues. Deputy council leader Kevin Crook has taken over as acting leader. The announcement came the same day Harrison had told the BBC he would not be stepping down - a timeline that suggests his resignation was about as premeditated as a supermarket "spontaneous" purchase of a KitKat at the till.

The controversy centres on a recording made during a Reform party meeting on Tuesday, in which Harrison was heard saying 76 council solicitors would be made redundant, branding them "incompetent" and adding: "They're not doing a good job." He then said: "What I want to look at now is the women so it is ongoing, I would like it to be at great pace but I can tell you now if we suddenly drove massive redundancies the liberals would walk away."

Harrison had apologised for the remarks, which were released on social media, insisting they had been taken out of context. In his statement, he said: "I would like to apologise unreservedly to the staff and officers of the county council for any hurt, distress or offence caused by the publication of these comments, which were made during a heated meeting with the expectation of privacy and confidentiality." He added: "However, I would like to stress that these discussions were just that, and I have not given any instruction or direction to officers in these matters and that there has not been any discussion nor agreement on these issues with officers." He also said: "I unequivocally reject any suggestion that staffing decisions are being taken based on gender. The comments made in that meeting were taken completely out of context."

Before the resignation, the council's 15 Conservative councillors had called for an emergency vote to try to remove him from the leader's role - a move that presumably focused his mind somewhat. Deborah Taylor, leader of the Conservative group, said: "That was not a decision we took lightly. The serious concerns raised over recent days, particularly around the treatment of council employees and the comments contained in leaked recordings, left us feeling that his position had become untenable. His resignation brings an end to his leadership, but it does not mean those concerns should simply be forgotten. There are still questions that deserve answers, and it is important that the council learns from what has happened."

Harrison said it had been the "honour of his life" to lead the county council's first Reform administration and confirmed he will remain as a councillor representing the Ashby-de-la-Zouch division - because nothing says "moving on" quite like staying in the building. The Reform group remains the largest party on the authority and continues to run it as a minority administration.