When Reform councillor Sam Journet came barging into Basildon Borough Council HQ with a body camera strapped to his chest in an accountability drive, staff were left bewildered. “Did he go to the toilet with it rolling?” one asked.
Since his election in July, the 31-year-old has made quite the impression, and not in the way Nigel Farage’s anti-woke movement might have hoped. From alleged harassment of female staff to a shocking police arrest inside the council building, Journet has made his mark.
Now, the Reform councillor – already dubbed “The Doge Dodger” by colleagues – faces a string of new allegations, including bullying, trespassing, and hypocrisy over the very “woke culture” his party rails against.
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‘The Doge Dodger’
According to multiple council sources, Journet has been at the centre of an internal row after pushing for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training for staff.
The programme, which taught senior leaders how to create an inclusive workplace, cost local taxpayers thousands of pounds.
Nigel Farage has constantly vowed to cut down on council spending with an Elon Musk-style Department of Government Efficiency. Its third leader in just a matter of months, Richard Tice, has described Doge as a “philosophy” of saving money by eliminating wasteful spending, such as DEI initiatives.
One official told The London Economic: “One minute Reform and Sam Journet promise to cut down on so-called ‘woke waste’ and the next, local councillors are wanting diversity training.
“We’re starting to call him The Doge Doger.”
“He truly is Reform’s wokest councillor,” they added.
In a social media post following a meeting with the authority’s CEO, Gary Jones, last month, Journet said: “[We agreed on] training for officers on neurodivergence, which I will champion, so they finally understand what this looks like, and so children, parents and adults alike feel represented.”
Despite this, Reform UK said Journet has never “advocated for or supported” DEI initiatives.
Harassment allegations
The London Economic can also reveal that staff have filed complaints about Journet’s behaviour.
Basildon Council staff are said to feel threatened and tormented by him after “barging into private meetings, trespassing, and harassing others” while acting on behalf of Farage’s party.
He has recently been arrested on suspicion of common assault in the council building.
Following this, the council revealed a member had “repeatedly” accessed staff-only areas of the local authority’s offices, which had been established earlier in response to concerns regarding inappropriate conduct by a councillor.
“These measures were introduced to prioritise staff safety and maintain a secure and respectful working environment,” a spokesperson said.
He added: “Despite these restrictions being clearly communicated to all Council members, one Councillor repeatedly disregarded the rules. Earlier today, the individual in question was arrested and removed from the premises by police.”
Sam Journet did not respond to a request for comment.