The Mayor’s consort at Reform UK’s flagship London council was sacked from his job as a police sergeant for failing a drug test, the Standard can reveal.
Starbuck Coleman was dismissed from his post as a British Transport Police officer in London after turning up to work with cocaine still in his system.
He was asked to undergo a “with cause” drugs test which can be done when there is a reasonable suspicion of substance misuse.
Mr Coleman has now been appointed the official consort to the Mayor of Havering, Councillor Maggie Themistocli.
In a statement, he told the Standard it was a “singular lapse in judgment” after an “unblemished seven-year career” and vowed to continue contributing to society in a positive way.
Mayoral consorts attend official events with the mayor such as village fetes, school and charity events, business functions and other civic gatherings.
Nigel Farage dashed to Havering town hall, east London, early on May 8 to celebrate his party winning control of its first ever council in the capital.
Congratulations to Cllr. Maggie Themistocli on becoming Mayor and the first citizen of Havering this evening, along with her Consort, Mr. Starbuck Coleman. Maggie has made history tonight in becoming the first Reform UK Mayor in the history of Havering! 🩵
— Andrew Rosindell MP 🇬🇧🏴 (@AndrewRosindell) May 27, 2026
Congratulations also… pic.twitter.com/8O8Q06vjDY
But Reform was now facing questions over the decision to appoint Mr Coleman to the civic role.
Mr Coleman, who currently works as head of office in Parliament for Reform MP for Romford Andrew Rosindell, was sacked from his job as a British Transport Police (BTP) officer in 2022.
BTP Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi, who chaired his disciplinary hearing, found his conduct amounted to gross misconduct and he was fired.
She said: “This is a clear breach of the high standards we expect from police officers, and the fact we have chosen to fast track this misconduct hearing demonstrates how seriously we take such incidents.”
The police chief added: "PS Coleman was entrusted with care of detainees as a custody sergeant.
“Performing his role under the influence of drink and drugs is totally unacceptable and unreflective of the standards and values of BTP.
“PS Coleman’s behaviour undermined the trust the public place in us, to protect them.
“Nobody was harmed in this case but trust and professionalism are non-negotiable. I have therefore dismissed him with immediate effect."
Mr Coleman’s first name was redacted in a publicly available transcript of the hearing.
In a statement to The Standard, he said: “I was rightly dismissed from the police in July 2022 for failing a with cause drugs test, this was for a trace amount of drug in my system as a result of a singular lapse in judgement.
“I was granted anonymity by the Chief Constable at the time due to my unblemished 7-year career.
“I received a tri-service Commendation for bravery, professionalism and dedication to duty during a terrorist attack on London Bridge and in Borough Market,
“I was also a first responder to the Grenfell Tower fire during my service.”
He added: “If some in our society want to say there is no mechanism to ever move on from our mistakes then I’m not sure where that leaves us.
“I fully intend to continue contributing to society in a meaningful and positive way and hope to be the best person I can be going forward.”
However Susan Hall, who leads the Tory group on the London Assembly and chairs its police and crime committee, stressed that the allegations against Mr Coleman were “significantly concerning”.
She said they left “serious questions about the political judgment” of the new Reform authority in Havering.
“Voters deserve politicians who uphold the high standards of office, and I am sure voters in Havering will be able to form their own judgment in this case,” she added.
Cllr Themistocli also previously worked in Mr Rosindell’s office, up until 2019, and she has known Mr Coleman for around 15 years.
She is understood to have appointed Mr Coleman, who has been active in the Romford community since around 2008, as her consort.
Mr Rosindell is understood to have played no role in the appointment of either Mr Coleman or Cllr Themistocli to their new civic positions.
In a post on X late on Wednesday, he said: “Congratulations to Cllr. Maggie Themistocli on becoming Mayor and the first citizen of Havering this evening, along with her Consort, Mr. Starbuck Coleman.
“Maggie has made history tonight in becoming the first Reform UK Mayor in the history of Havering!”
Mr Farage had set Reform the goal of winning several councils in London at the May 7 elections.
His party fell short of this aim, being rebuffed by the Conservatives in Bexley and Labour in Barking and Dagenham.
But across England Reform gained 1,452 council seats in an election disaster for Labour which lost 1,498.
Mr Farage suggested his party’s triumph put it on course to forming the next Government.
