Ollie Leader

Multimedia Local Democracy Reporter and Politics Producer @KMTV_kent | Presenter of The Kent Politics Show | Ex-editor of @exepose | #cardifftrained | he/him

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

Breaking: @drlsullivan and @ThurrockJen have written to the Secretary of State for Transport calling for money from the Lower Thames Cross toll to be put towards bringing the Tilbury Ferry back - the service has been shut since 2024.

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

Former Gravesham MP Adam Holloway has jumped ship from the Conservatives to Reform UK - so is he just trying to reclaim his seat from Labour or is he serious about Farage’s upstart party?

Find out his reasons below👇

https://t.co/NSRJyKl0QJ

[The News Agents @TheNewsAgents]

“A catastrophic data breach.”

For two years, the government took The News Agents to court over a leaked MOD document - under a super injunction.

Now it’s lifted. @lewis_goodall reports on the hidden court that tried to silence us.

Watch here. ▶️
https://t.co/CiZ86wUndq

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

A referendum on devo.

The future for SEND transport.

And what the investigation into @JamesReform says about Reform UK.

All that and more in my sit down with party leader @Nigel_Farage at KCC.

Watch the full interview here 👇

https://t.co/E8SMqKZ9Ye

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

Really excited to say I’ve been highly commended for my broadcast features journalism at the Kent Press and Broadcast awards organised wonderfully by @Maxim_PR

So pleased to be in a room of so much journalistic talent putting the county first #KPBA

[Maxim @Maxim_PR]

#KPBA Highly Commended Kent Feature Journalist of the Year (Broadcast), sponsored by @ShepherdNeame, is @LeaderSaxe of KMTV

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

@RtHonGregClark Other big names that supported the amendment include @EdwardJDavey and @carla_denyer - the question is whether any Labour MPs will go against the whip on this one.

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

NEW: Government set to shoot down Police and Crime Bill amendment tabled by @ThreshedThought to criminalise sex-based harassment in public - lots of cross-party support from this one, including from Kent MPs @TomTugendhat and Labour’s Kevin McKenna as well as @Nigel_Farage.

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

The amendment would enforce @RtHonGregClark private members bill on the same issue from when he was MP in Tunbridge Wells - Mike Martin states that the Labour government supported this act when in opposition.

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

Shocking aftermath of last night’s thunderstorms in Dover

[Abby Naomi-Kay Hook @abby__hook]

Latest from the Dover floods. Rob was trapped inside his flat when the door gave way. He says he’s lost everything. More on @Kent_Online as the community reacts

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

Reform UK at KCC hit back at @ICOnews call in from the Conservatives

[Cllr Maxwell Harrison @CllrMSHSheppey]

It is official…the Tories are terrified!

But guess what? They can run, but they cannot hide!

@LeaderofKCC and our DOGE team in Kent County Council will expose the waste that has led our county into decline.

Kent voted for change, and mark my words, we will deliver that! 🇬🇧

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

As shoplifting soars across the county according to recent Kent Police data, one charity shop in Maidstone have been forced to make difficult choices 👇

https://t.co/M8cmj9yCqi

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

KCC back in the spotlight as @Conservatives call on @ICOnews to investigate GDPR concerns surrounding DOGE

[Kevin Hollinrake MP @kevinhollinrake]

Reform UK appear to be attempting a mass data grab from councils — including personal info on foster parents, care home residents & whistleblowers.

This isn’t transparency. It’s a breach waiting to happen and the @ICOnews should investigate 👇

[Michael @michaelkeohan]

New: Appears KCC Reform have lost their first councillor this evening.

Daniel Taylor who was with Nigel Farage on his visit to Ramsgate days before the election now listed as Independent.

No explanations yet as to why?

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

And for more on this story, you can check out my colleague Simon Finlay’s write-up for @Kent_Online :

https://t.co/qaIIzfe6X7

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

A electoral tsunami on the coast, but one that has left many behind - I’ve been out speaking to the political outsiders of Romney Marsh, the ‘Reformland’ of Kent…

https://t.co/nYaFyPYoKY

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

Kent County Council @LeaderofKCC hits back at Dover’s Labour MP @MikeTappTweets after suggesting “things have not started well” - even offering to debate him.

Well, there is a political panel show on KMTV every Friday that always loves to get Kent’s politicians talking… 👀

[Linden Kemkaran @LeaderofKCC]

My reply to @MikeTappTweets in which I suggest that his time might be better spent persuading his own party leader @Keir_Starmer to locate his backbone and #stoptheboats

The alarming #invasion by thousands of #illegalmigrants is what the people of #Kent care about.

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

Another U-turn for Reform UK - Zia Yusuf returning to the party to lead the DOGE unit after stepping down as chairman - will that also mean a return for @nattyfried? And what does this shake-up mean for the KCC team?

[Zia Yusuf @ZiaYusufUK]

Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.

After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single day off, my tweet was a decision born of exhaustion.

I only came into politics out of a sense of duty, to serve the country I love. The country that had been so kind to my parents and presented me with immense opportunity.

Out of a sense of duty to do whatever I could to reverse decades of decline and make this a country one in which we could be excited for our children to grow up.

I came into politics out of belief that Nigel Farage was the man to deliver that.

Having read the messages, I believe in these things more than ever.

I know the mission is too important and I cannot let people down. 

So, I will be continuing my work with Reform, my commitment redoubled. 

Reform has come a long way since I was appointed Chairman, and has moved from ‘startup’ to ‘scaleup’. 

Given this, and that we have now won power at a local level, I will focus on a new role. I will be running the UK DOGE team to fight for taxpayers, as well as working on party policy and representing it in the media. 

I will continue to give all my time to the most important project of my life, getting a Reform government elected with Nigel as Prime Minister. 🇬🇧

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

They say a week is a long time in British politics - Kent’s five man DOGE unit reduced down to just three people in a matter of days as @nattyfried and @ZiaYusufUK apparently jump ship - so what’s next for KCC’s efficiency drive?

[Nathaniel Fried @nattyfried]

I have a huge amount of respect for the work that the councils are doing to save tax payer money, and reduce wastage.

@ZiaYusufUK got me in and I believe it is appropriate for me to leave with him.

I have absolute confidence that the reform DOGE will succeed without me.

[Ollie Leader @LeaderSaxe]

Seems it’s not just @vincemaple who isn’t mincing words this week regarding Reform at KCC - former leader @RogerGough2 taking a swipe at the maths behind the new DOGE unit being spearheaded by the party chairman…

[Roger Gough @RogerGough2]

And, while I’m on it, @CS_Kent returns a dividend of £10m to @Kent_cc supporting services without a further call on taxpayers. @reformparty_uk should get to understand it.