Kay Mason Billig branded the Reform UK leader's criticism as "guff" and "nonsense" and said Norfolk's voters would suffer "buyer's remorse" if they vote for his party's candidates in May's elections.

Norfolk County Council leader Kay Mason Billig (Image: Norfolk Conservatives)

In a stinging column for today's EDP, Mrs Mason Billig, angrily hit back at one written by Mr Farage, who attended at Reform rally at the Norfolk Showground last night.

In his article, Mr Farage attacked the council's £884m debt, spend on translators, salaries of County Hall staff and the state of Norfolk's roads.

Reform UK leader Kay Mason Billig (Image: PA)

Mrs Mason Billig said: "I’ve never heard such nonsense as comes out of the mouth of Nigel Farage. Does anyone really believe this guff?

"He is one of those people who will say anything to get your vote, but it’s all smoke and mirrors and, frankly, unbelievable."

Mrs Mason Billig said the council's debts Mr Farage lambasted reflected investment, with money borrowed money to build libraries, care schemes and roads.

The tit-for-tat response suggests Norfolk is on course for a particularly acrimonious campaign ahead of next month's elections, especially the bitter fight on the right between the Tories and Reform.

Some pollsters are tipping Reform UK to seize control of County Hall at May 7's elections, with the Tories losing nearly all their current 51 seats.

County Hall (Image: Mike Page)

But Mrs Mason Billig said: "To let these amateurs get their hands on the levers of power would be a disaster, and we would all pay dearly for it.

"It’s unfortunate when politicians say things just to get elected, when the reality is that where Reform wins, people soon get buyer’s remorse."

She said allowing Reform to run County Hall would be like "handing the keys of a fire engine to the arsonists".

Labour leader Steve Morphew (Image: Denise Bradley)

Meanwhile, Steve Morphew, leader of the Labour group at County Hall also criticised Mr Farage for his claim that the county council spent £476,000 on translators in 2022/23.

Mr Morphew said that was the year when Norfolk welcomed more than 1,400 Ukrainian refugees.

He said: "Attempting to use money spent on welcoming Ukrainian refugees to Norfolk to divide our community is despicable.

"It confirms Farage's support for Putin consistent with Reform UK leadership's treacherous track record.

 "I have little common ground with Conservatives at County Hall but we shared absolute support for Ukraine against Putin and pride in the support Norfolk gave to refugees."

Political opponents have sought to promote perceptions that Reform UK and its leader are weak on Moscow, after Mr Farage previously said he admired the Russian president “as an operator, but not as a human being”.

Nathan Gill, Reform UK's former leader in Wales, was jailed for 10-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for making pro-Russian statements while a member of the European Parliament.

Norfolk County Council leader Kay Mason Billig (Image: Norfolk County Council)

BEWARE OF BUYER'S REMORSE... KAY MASON BILLIG ON NIGEL FARAGE

I’ve never heard such nonsense as comes out of the mouth of Nigel Farage. Does anyone really believe this guff?

He is one of those people who will say anything to get your vote, but it’s all smoke and mirrors and, frankly, unbelievable.

All councils borrow money to build infrastructure. Where does he think new schools, care homes, and roads come from? The magic money tree?

We have opened two new libraries in the last year, built two bypasses, nine new care homes, 41 Special Resource Bases for SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) children, five new schools, and bought 24 new fire engines and 70 electric buses—all carefully budgeted for as investments in Norfolk’s future.

We don’t borrow what we can’t afford, and we have a clean bill of health from our external auditors. Obviously, they can add up better than dear old Nige.

He moans about the pay packet of our CEO, but in Worcestershire, under Reform, they pay theirs the same. In Reform’s flagship council of Kent, they pay their CEO £70,000 per annum more.

"His criticism, alongside the other examples he levels at us, is ridiculous. All councils have to provide translation services—it’s the law. The farmhouse we bought to house children was, in fact, used to house children.

"He sounds increasingly desperate, picking on random issues just for a headline without checking his facts. Is this an attempt to deflect criticism after the fiasco of his recent visit to Suffolk?

"The bottom line is that we are an extremely efficient and well-run council; he knows it and is clutching at straws.

"If Reform were to win in Norfolk, residents would get a proper taste of what maladministration is all about. We don’t need his false promises here.

"He promised no rises in council tax, yet Reform has raised it everywhere. He promised to weed out inefficiencies, but they have failed to find any. What happened to their DOGE (Department of General Embarrassment)?

"The only savings Reform councils have made have been by adopting previous administrations’ prudent budgets, because they couldn’t think of anything origina - or, in some cases, by slashing highways budgets for short-term gain. Brace yourself for lots of potholes in Norfolk if Reform get their way.

Alternatively, choose common sense. Norfolk has one of the best records on road maintenance in the country—let’s keep it that way.

The pothole accusation is just another untruth, contradicted by an independent national survey confirming we are in the top tier of councils that fix them.

It’s unfortunate when politicians say things just to get elected, when the reality is that where Reform wins, people soon get buyer’s remorse.

Haven’t Reform already lost nearly 70 councillors in the last year alone due to resignations, defections, suspensions, and all sorts of shenanigans? Some have even gone to prison. Is this a record to be proud of?

Do we want this in Norfolk? To let these amateurs get their hands on the levers of power would be a disaster, and we would all pay dearly for it. In Warwickshire, under Reform, residents are paying an extra 9pc this year.

Our Conservative-run council provides value for money and builds new infrastructure for the future.

And Nigel Farage has been around this loop before—remember the UKIP experiment?

Here in Norfolk, we once had a rainbow alliance running the council, including UKIP councillors. It didn’t last more than three years. We are still picking up the pieces from some of the disastrous decisions that shower made during their brief spell in control.

The truth is, handing Reform the reins would be like handing the keys of a fire engine to the arsonists.

© Eastern Daily Press