Linden Kemkaran: Journalist, Dramatist, Lawbreaker — Now Leader of Kent County Council

Kent County Council has a new political face at the helm — and she brings with her a résumé as compelling as it is controversial. Linden Kemkaran, a former BBC journalist turned media trainer and entrepreneur, was this week appointed Leader of Kent County Council following a swift internal election among Conservative councillors. With a background in theatre, defence journalism, and charity work, Kemkaran now steps onto a different stage: the demanding world of local government leadership.

A graduate of London’s University of Surrey, Kemkaran “utilised her English, Drama and Theatre honours degree to develop the skills necessary to ascend the career ladder at London-based BBC News.” Her early professional roles included stints as a Reporter, News Planner, Organiser, and Defence and Security Producer. She later worked as a private secretary within the Ministry of Defence.

Kemkaran’s interests extend well beyond the newsroom and council chamber. In her free time, Linden Kemkaran dedicates her time to such activities as property renovation projects. She has long harboured ambitions of turning her aesthetic flair for interiors into a second career.

Her passions include Formula 1 and amateur dramatics. Linden has always enjoyed the thrill of performing on stage. In 1993, she played Milly in a London production of Alan Ayckbourn’s Gosforth’s Fête, a role cut short after a later motorbike accident derailed her next leading part.

Kemkaran is a horsewoman since childhood, and an avid reader, she lists John Steinbeck, Howard Brenton, Melvyn Burgess, and Paul Auster among her favourite authors.

But Kemkaran’s path to political leadership has not been without controversy.

In 2023, she publicly admitted to breaking the law by obtaining and using testosterone — a prescription-only controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 — without a lawful prescription. “I had to pretend I’m transgender so my GP would prescribe it. That’s what women are being driven to do,” she wrote in the Daily Mail. She later clarified she had acquired the hormone through non-legal means in frustration at the lack of menopause-related treatment options. While some may sympathise with her motives, the episode raises serious questions about medical inequality and the responsibilities of those in public office.

More concerning to some, however, are earlier allegations of Islamophobia. During the 2019 general election, Kemkaran stood as the Conservative candidate in Bradford East. At the time, it emerged that she had shared a message on social media claiming Muslims play the “race card” and have a “nasty culture.” The BBC reported this as part of a wider pattern of Islamophobic incidents in the party, sparking condemnation from campaigners and political opponents. Kemkaran later deleted the post, but it remains a stark reminder of the scrutiny faced by those in public life — especially when past digital footprints resurface in today’s political climate.

Now as Leader of Kent County Council under the Reform UK banner, Kemkaran enters a high-stakes political environment. Her leadership comes at a time of growing public scrutiny of both national and local governance, particularly around cost-of-living pressures, public health, and planning controversies.

Whether her broad life experience becomes a source of strength or a target for opposition remains to be seen. Her supporters praise her authenticity and determination. Critics question her judgement and past conduct. What is certain is that Linden Kemkaran is unlikely to be a quiet presence at County Hall.

The Shepway Vox Team

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