Councillor denies making racist TikTok comments

A Reform UK councillor has denied writing or endorsing racist comments on TikTok, including one which said racism "was a left-leaning term used to stop free speech".

Councillor Chris Large, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for finance, said he had not made the comments linked to the account named "cllrchrislarge" which featured numerous videos of him discussing politics.

He claimed the TikTok account was shared among a number of people, adding that he fully condemned the content of the offensive remarks.

Reform UK told the BBC the party would not be taking any action against Large over the matter.

In one comment, the account appeared to agree with a user who described Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy as a "greedy none thoroughbred [sic]" by liking the post with a heart symbol.

The account and the comments, which were seen by the BBC, have since been deleted.

The profile appeared to have been active from at least May 2025, shortly after Large won his Brewood seat in the county's local elections.

It featured a number of videos in which Large outlined his views about politics and the work of the local authority.

Large confirmed in a statement the TikTok account had now been deleted.

"To be clear: I have not personally liked or commented on these posts and I fully condemn their content," he said.

"These views in no way represent my own or those of Reform UK and I apologise for any offence caused."

It comes as the council's former leader, Ian Cooper, resigned his position on Tuesday after he was expelled from Reform UK over his social media use.

Cooper has not responded to repeated requests by the BBC for a comment.

A spokesperson for Staffordshire County Council said: "Where there is a concern raised about the conduct of any elected member, it will be considered in line with the council's standards complaints process and our code of conduct."

Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external.