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Council leader calls councillor “maggot,” sparks formal complaint

7/17/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Reform-UK councillor Marco Longhi filed a complaint after leader Patrick Harley called him a “maggot” and told him to get on his boat back to Walsall.
At Dudley Council’s meeting on 13 July 2026, Harley called Longhi a bully, citing an October 2025 post accusing him of lying about asylum accommodation.
Longhi said insult breached Members’ Code of Conduct and that he has raised concerns and referred the matter through standards process.

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Story summary

Reform-UK councillor Marco Longhi filed a complaint after leader Patrick Harley called him a “maggot” and told him to get on his boat back to Walsall.
At Dudley Council’s meeting on 13 July 2026, Harley called Longhi a bully, citing an October 2025 post accusing him of lying about asylum accommodation.
Longhi said insult breached Members’ Code of Conduct and that he has raised concerns and referred the matter through standards process.