UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Home Office suspended Reform UK councillor Paul Bean from his asylum role while investigating whether he violated rules on political impartiality.
As reported by The Guardian, Reform UK councillor Paul Bean, who worked at the Home Office handling asylum claims, has been suspended pending an inquiry.
Which Reform councillor was removed from the Home Office?
Paul Bean, who represents Crook ward in Durham, has declared his job at the Home Office in the council’s register of interests.
An internal Home Office investigation is expected to determine whether the civil service code was breached.
According to the code, all civil servants are required to remain politically neutral and must “not allow personal views to shape their advice or actions.”
An inquiry by Hope Not Hate exposed Mr Bean’s role at the Home Office. The group said it found social media posts slamming asylum seekers on an account linked to him.
What did Paul Bean post online about asylum claims and Reform UK?
In a post, Paul Bean said,
“I work as an asylum decision maker for the HO [Home Office] and I can tell you with authority that 93% of asylum seekers to the UK are men between 18-35 and 92% of them are refused asylum.”
He added,
“The truth is the vast majority of asylum seekers are actually economic migrants abusing the asylum system.”
Mr Bean’s another post reads,
“97% of asylum seekers are lying about persecution in their home countries, and the other 3% have been credible to the point of being believable. Source: me. Guess what job I do.”
The account also contains misogynistic remarks and claims Nigel Farage has “submitted” to Islam, while suggesting he looks down on the working-class voters who support him.
What did the Durham Council say about Paul Bean’s suspension?
Paul Bean has also been suspended by Reform UK, though it remains unclear if this is related to his critical posts about Farage or other content. The party has not responded to requests for comment.
A spokesperson for Durham council stated,
“Due to relevant legislation, Cllr Paul Bean currently remains as a councillor representing Reform UK until we are informed by the party that he has ‘ceased’ to be a member.”
They added,
“Generally, where councillors are suspended as part of their group or party discipline, this is a neutral act pending the outcome of an investigation. Until then, Cllr Bean will continue to sit on the committees he has been appointed to, and our website will reflect his unchanged status.”
Amanda Hopgood’s views on the Home Office investigation
Amanda Hopgood, the leader of the opposition at Durham County Council, added,
“It’s only right and proper that this issue is looked into in the interests of openness and transparency. I welcome the fact that the Home Office is looking into this.”
Home Office’s stance on civil service code breaches
A Home Office spokesperson stated,
“While it is our longstanding policy not to comment on individual cases, all civil servants must adhere to the civil service code, and are expected to carry out their role with integrity, honesty, objectivity and political impartiality.”
They added,
“Whenever the civil service code is breached, the matter will be fully investigated and disciplinary action taken as appropriate.”
What role did Paul Bean play in Reform UK’s council victory?
Paul Bean was among 65 Reform UK councillors elected to the Durham County Council in May. This gave the party more seats than the Liberal Democrats, Greens, independents, Labour, and Conservatives combined.
Before the May elections, the Durham Council was run as a coalition between the Liberal Democrats, Tories, and independents.
Nigel Farage’s plan to deport 600,000 migrants
Reform leader Nigel Farage has unveiled a plan that could see up to 600,000 asylum seekers deported if Reform UK wins power.
His plan included scrapping human rights laws, building high-cost detention centres, and paying billions to authoritarian regimes to accept deported individuals.
Mr Farage said,
“No longer will these malign influences be allowed to frustrate deportations. The planes will take off, and plenty of them at that. The time has come to put this country first. This is all a question of priorities.”
He claimed that the number of deportations under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s deal with France is “too small to matter,” adding,
“It isn’t going to work, it isn’t going to happen. The French aren’t there to help us.”
Asylum claims in the UK in 2025
The UK received 111,084 asylum claims by June 2025, the highest since 1979. Most claims came from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Eritrea, and Bangladesh. About 37% of applicants had initially entered the UK on visas.
The initial approval rate fell to 49%, while over 110,000 cases remain pending. Appeals had a 48% success rate, highlighting concerns over initial decisions.