A rookie Reform UK politician has been arrested on suspicion of stalking, harassment, public disorder and assault after allegedly triggering an extraordinary internal row at his local council.
Sam Journet was arrested at Basildon Council's headquarters, where three officers detained him on Monday morning over the allegations.
The 31-year-old jeweller was only elected to the Labour-led council in July after sweeping to victory in a local by-election. He has never previously served in local politics.
His arrest comes amid an ongoing inappropriate conduct probe by the Essex-based council into his alleged harassment of council staff and 'conspiracy theory spinning' which have led to him receiving a public dressing-down from a top lawyer brought in by the authority - at taxpayers' expense.
In an extraordinary move, the Daily Mail understands the council had issued restrictions limiting Journet's access to staff-only areas in the Basildon Centre before his arrest, effectively banning him from parts of the building where officers are based.
