Councillor cleared over gender debate comments

A town councillor has been cleared of wrongdoing over comments made about a proposal on gender identity.

A Wiltshire Council official found that comments made by Conservative Calne Town Councillor Bobby Seymour constituted "robust disagreement about policies or political ideas," and was not unlawful discrimination.

The comments came after Liberal Democrat councillor Aitch King, who identifies as queer and non-binary, proposed an alternative to the titles of Honorary Freeman or Freewoman that is not gendered.

Seymour said that "the extreme left has shown that its priorities are to impose its own gender obsessed ideology,". King said they "disagree with the decision" to clear him.

A committee unanimously agreed to recommend to Full Council that the revised honours policy use inclusive, gender-neutral terminology, such as Person of Distinction or Honorary Citizen.

Seymour made the comments to the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the proposal was made.

He said that the move would "waste time and money" and described the discussion as "utterly crackers".

He also claimed that Liberal Democrats on the council "have been too busy chatting about cancelling traditions with this bizarre obsession that human beings can be anything other than male or female."

Seymour also questioned the legality of the proposed changes.

A complaint was later made about Seymour's comments that said references to a "gender obsessed ideology", a "bizarre obsession" and the proposal being "utterly crackers" were "transphobic, derogatory and dismissive".

The complaint said the comments "caused hurt and concern, damaged the working relationship between councillors, and contributed to hostile comments from members of the public" and argued that the language "amounted to unlawful discrimination, and brought the councillor's role for Calne Town Council into disrepute."

A request from the complainant for their personal details to be withheld was accepted.

Wiltshire Council's democracy and complaints manager agreed that the Code of Conduct requires councillors to treat others with respect, promote equalities, not discriminate unlawfully, and not to bring their role or authority into disrepute, but said the guidance "makes clear that these requirements must be balanced against the right to freedom of expression".

"Political expression attracts a high level of protection, including statements which may shock, disturb or offend, and the Code is not intended to prevent robust disagreement about policies or political ideas," said the officer.

"Some of the language used was strongly expressed and was understandably experienced by the complainant as offensive and dismissive," they added.

"Nevertheless, when read in context, the comments were directed principally at the proposal, the political approach attributed to its supporters, and wider questions of public policy. They did not amount to a direct personal attack on the complainant."

The officer ruled that any further action would not be in the public interest.

Responding to the news, King said that they believe the comments were made to create controversy.

They added that they have received "digital harassment" since the comments were made which had been "incredibly stressful and upsetting".

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