A local councillor for Reform UK who works for the Home Office processing asylum and immigration claims has been suspended from his job while an investigation is carried out, the Guardian has learned.
Paul Bean, who serves as a councillor for Crook ward at Durham county council, declared his day job as a civil servant at the Home Office in his register of interests.
It is understood that an investigation by Home Office officials will look at whether any breach of the civil service code has occurred. The code states that all civil servants should be politically impartial and that civil servants must not “allow personal political views to determine any advice you give or your actions”.
Bean’s role at the Home Office emerged after an investigation by the organisation Hope Not Hate. The group found posts criticising asylum seekers on a social media account they claim belongs to him.
“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,” a post on the account read, adding: “The truth is the vast majority of asylum seekers are actually economic migrants abusing the asylum system.”
According to the most recent statistics, almost half of asylum seekers win their cases, with more granted asylum after an appeal.
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.”
Other posts on the account use misogynistic language and are heavily critical of Reform, saying Nigel Farage has “submitted” to Islam and looks down on working-class people who give him power.
Bean has also been suspended by Reform UK, but it is not known if that is because of his critical comments about Farage and his party or about other posts. Reform UK did not respond to a request for comment.
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A spokesperson for Durham council said: “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.
“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, the leader of the opposition at Durham county council, said: “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.”
Bean was one of 65 Reform UK councillors elected in May to Durham county council, giving the party a large majority and more councillors than the other parties – Liberal Democrats, Greens, independents, Labour and Conservatives – put together. The council was previously run as a coalition between the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and independents.
Reform UK’s latest policy announcement is for mass deportation of asylum seekers back to conflict zones such as Eritrea and Afghanistan, a plan Labour has called “pie in the sky”.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “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.
“Whenever the civil service code is breached, the matter will be fully investigated and disciplinary action taken as appropriate.”
Bean has been approached for comment.
