Reform councillor fined £40,000 for hiring ‘illegal’ workers

Michael Andrew Harrison, a Reform UK councillor in County Durham was elected on the usual bullshit of cracking down on illegal immigration but it looks like that was horseshit. Now, his company, Churchills Management Limited, have been handed a £40,000 fine after they were found to have hired someone who didn’t have a legal right to work in the UK.

Harrison has denied the allegations on social media, and says he will appeal the fine. But, this shitshow is just another chapter in the utter hypocrisy of Reform. This party dominated by middle class white men is built on the premise of ending illegal labour and securing borders. Only to have one of its own councillors caught red-handed, using vulnerable workers to boost his own earnings. Who could imagine a Reform councillor doing such a thing? Well, probably everyone. 

Reform hypocrites…shock, horror(!)

Harrison is the director of ‘Churchills Management Limited’ a company that operates a British pub ‘The ARMourY’ in Seaham. They even put little Union Jacks on the toasties for some fucking reason. The ARMourY’s predecessor at the same location went into liquidation earlier this year, so this doesn’t bode well for the company. 

The irony is bloody brilliant. It’s no ordinary little pub, and looks like Lord Kitchener threw up on it. It’s war-themed and dripping Union Jacks, located directly opposite a war memorial on the seafront. It wears a mask of caring for ‘traditional British values,’ whilst allegedly skirting British law for profit. The colossal fine was issued by the Home Office this week. So, presumably Harris will be eager to comply with the overseers of our borders to ensure fair and legal working conditions?

Well, not quite. Further investigation shows his company was also dragged into an Employment Tribunal over allegations of Unlawful Deduction from Wages. This screams of a pattern of disregard for the welfare of workers across the board, whether ‘illegal’ or otherwise. But what else can we expect of Reform? They’re a nasty party who want to seem like they’re men of the people, but the reality is quite different. They’re upper and middle class posh twats, who think it’s one rule for them, and another for everyone else. They spout their racist drivel and pretend that they actually care about workers rights. But, Harrison is a perfect example of how they can’t be fucking trusted. 

The ironic lack of accountability

The message from the Home Office that Reform UK loves to parrot is clear: illegal labour will be punished. Yet the message from the actual party regarding Harrison’s fuck up is, unsurprisingly, silence. Reform have refused to comment on the story.

Michael Andrew Harrison, who was voted in on a ticket of stopping illegal immigration, has been exposed as a director whose business is directly profiting from it. It’s not surprising that another Reform UK councillor has demonstrated a disregard between his public position and his private conduct. On social media, he said:

I support illegal workers being removed and businesses been held to account to stop this illegal activity for self gain. Business owners that abuse the system should be jailed in my opinion.

You’ll pop off to prison then, if the Home Office uphold the fine, will you Mike?

Featured image via the Canary