The leader of Reform UK-run Kent County Council has described the suspensions and expulsions of councillors from her party as “a sorry state of affairs”.

Linden Kemkaran was speaking after five of her colleagues were expelled for bringing the party into disrepute.

It followed a leaked recording of a video meeting in which Kemkaran was seen shouting and swearing at other Reform councillors.

On Tuesday she told BBC South East that “not everybody has the same sense of service and duty and responsibility, that’s a sorry state of affairs”.

“I’m the leader of a large group of councillors,” she said. “I am direct, I am forthright, I’m quite blunt in my approach.

“Yes, occasionally I use language that could be described as slightly fruity. I make no apology for that.”

In May’s local elections Reform took control from the Conservatives by winning 57 seats, and the leader said she still has the backing of 48 Reform councillors, which she described as still “a stonking majority”.

“We are rock solid,” she said. “We may be smaller but we are far more muscular than we were before. It’s business as normal.”

Putting the leaked video down to “sour grapes”, she said: “We had a disgruntled core of people, two of whom wanted to be leader, and didn’t win the vote by quite a large margin.

“Another two had lost their positions on cabinet and deputy cabinet. Unfortunately some people are unable to put their disappointments behind them and move forward for the good of the county and, ultimately, for the good of the country.”

Kemkaran was also adamant she would not resign.

“Why on earth would I consider my position? I’m not the one who’s done anything wrong,” she said.

“The people who should be feeling ashamed are the ones who leaked that video and betrayed the trust not just of me, but the whole group and of the people who elected them to hold office in Kent County Council.”