Northampton Reform councillor challenged over ‘Mike Oxlong’ Facebook account – leader calls claims ‘boring’
A Northampton Reform councillor has been challenged over claims he was behind a Facebook account using the name ‘Mike Oxlong’.
Speaking at a recent West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) meeting, Independent councillor Kathryn Shaw (Upton) raised concerns about a social media profile operating under the name ‘Mike Oxlong’, which she said was connected to Reform councillor John East.
What was on the profile?
Multiple screenshots of the profile have been seen by Chronicle & Echo.
The profile uses the name "Mike Oxlong" and features a profile picture of Sloth, a character from the 1985 film The Goonies. It also displays the phrase ‘Ice Bank Mice Elf’, which sounds like ‘I spank myself’ when spoken aloud, a similar result to when saying the profile name.
Other names linked to the ‘Mike Oxlong’ profile include ‘Hue Janus’, ‘Drew Peacock’, ‘Mike Oxmaul’, ‘Buster Werken-Hoam’ and ‘John East’.
In one screenshot, the ‘Mike Oxlong’ Facebook account responds to a question directed at Councillor East in his official capacity as a councillor on a Kings Heath community Facebook page.
The profile's friends list includes a number of Reform councillors.
Councillor East, Reform locally and the Reform Party nationally were all approached for a response over the past two weeks. No comment was provided.
Who is Councillor East?
Councillor East was elected in May 2025 local elections to represent the Dallington Spencer ward on West Northants Council (WNC).
He sits on the children, education and housing overview and scrutiny committee. He is also chairman of the non-strategic planning committee and serves on the planning policy committee.
Council records show he received £28,647.48 in allowances and expenses, including a £14,111.10 Special Responsibility Allowance in addition to his basic councillor allowance.
The reason his total is much higher than the standard councillor allowance is that he receives an additional special responsibility allowance for serving as chairman of the non-strategic planning committee.
What did Councillor Shaw say at the WNC meeting?
During the council meeting, Councillor Shaw said: “I think parents across west Northamptonshire have got the right to ask serious questions when a councillor connected to children's scrutiny is publicly engaging online under the name Mike Oxlong. Alongside phrases including, 'I spank myself'.
“This is not a harmless joke that exists in isolation. It speaks to judgement, standards, maturity, and the seriousness, or lack of seriousness, being brought into spaces connected to children and families.
“At the same time, families across this country are exhausted. They're fighting for EHCPs, fighting for mental health support, fighting simply to be heard. Social workers are overwhelmed, schools are stretched, children are struggling emotionally.
“So, when families see this online, people taking an absolute mockery. There is nothing amusing about children waiting for support, and there is certainly nothing amusing about immature conduct becoming normalised around positions responsible for scrutiny of children's services, because culture matters, and culture is set from the top.
"Not just by policies or strategies, but by what behaviour is tolerated, ignored, excused, or quietly allowed to continue.
"If behaviour like this is considered acceptable within positions connected to children's scrutiny, then we cannot honestly act surprised when wider systems fail the very children we came to prioritise. The standards we walk past become the standards we accept.”
How did the leader of the council, Councillor East and WNC respond?
Responding in the chamber to councillor Shaw, the leader of WNC councillor Arnull said: “I dare not use the words of our illustrious leader [Nigel Farage], but, 'BORING'. We'll move on. I don't do personal attacks, as you know, and we remain the diplomat in this seat.”
The Chronicle & Echo later asked both councillor Arnull and WNC whether the account was being investigated and whether they wished to comment further.
A West Northamptonshire Council spokeswoman said: “Any complaint received by the council in respect of a member's online social media activity will be considered under the arrangements adopted by the council for considering allegations of breaches of the code of conduct. Any complaint received is confidential in nature. Beyond that, we can’t comment further from a corporate perspective.”
Councillor East declined to comment and instead directed enquiries to Councillor Arnull. As stated above, neither local or national Reform have provided a response within the two weeks of being asked.