Now, the Conservative leader at County Hall has stirred up another social media squabble after wading in to the row over the Tory candidate embroiled in a scandal over a £10,000 charity pledge.

Ms Mason Billig wrote in support of Taila Taylor on the Attleborough Nights page, a Facebook group of nearly 4,000 members that has become a battleground for the town's bitter political feuds.

Ms Taylor, an Attleborough and Breckland councillor who is also standing for a County Hall seat at next month's election, has been under pressure to clarify whether she has fulfilled a pledge to donate £10,000 to charity.

She received the money in 2021 as part of a £20,000 settlement with Attleborough Town Council following a dispute.

A clause required half to go to a local charity but Ms Taylor has not said if this happened.

Reform candidate Daniel Burcham attacked Mrs Mason Billig on Facebook (Image: Facebook)

The Facebook post which prompted calls for Kay Mason Billig to resign (Image: Facebook)

Mrs Mason Billig’s intervention came after Daniel Burcham, a Reform candidate standing against Ms Taylor in the Attleborough division, posted a video saying he was "perplexed" by the Tory defence of Ms Taylor and the Conservative accusations that his party was running a smear campaign.

Ms Mason Billig told this newspaper last week that she supported Ms Taylor, but also pointed out that the decision to select her as a county councillor candidate was made by the local party branch rather than at a county level.

She went further in her post on Saturday.

“Just proves what I said," she wrote.

Kay Mason Billig has defended Taila Taylor on Facebook (Image: Facebook)

"This is a smear campaign. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty unless you are a Reform candidate apparently, when you can be judge and jury.

“If the Conservative candidate has done anything wrong, she can answer for it in proper legal proceedings, not because this chap says so.”

Ms Mason Billig received several responses from others who have been following the saga, a number of whom referenced her own 'steakgate' scandal.

One wrote: "Have you been to any of our council meetings? If not, I suggest you watch them on YouTube. 

“I cannot believe how your candidate behaves - no respect and no accountability for the public or other councillors. I have voted Conservative for many years but I could not vote for Taila Taylor as candidate."

Another added: “If she wants to prove her innocence then maybe she should be honest and respond to what people have said. Where's the £10,000 gone?"

After a period of initial silence from the Tories over the scandal the party has been been staunch in its support of Ms Taylor.

Bill Borrett, chairman of the Mid Norfolk Conservative Association, said she had done "nothing wrong" and had suffered "relentless hounding by the media". 

Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman, meanwhile, has also hailed Ms Taylor as a “community champion”.

Taila Taylor and Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman (Image: Facebook)

Ms Taylor has argued the council failed to meet its side of the 2021 settlement, removing her from the obligation to make the payment.

She has also said she was legally prevented from taking steps to ensure the council met its obligations under the settlement, because to do so would have been a conflict of interest.

She maintains she kept her side of the bargain and has continued to make charitable contributions.

© Eastern Daily Press