Latest news with #CouncillorCodeofConduct
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reform quizzed over councillor's Facebook posts
Reform UK has refused to answer questions about a new Doncaster councillor whose Facebook account featured posts comparing black Islamic dress to bin bags. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) approached the party after a number of posts on a Facebook account belonging to Councillor Mark Broadhurst went viral along with calls to "suspend him". The LDRS had asked whether the posts – including a since deleted image which suggested Adolf Hitler would be a "legend" had he targeted people following Islam – were acceptable to the party. A Reform UK spokesperson said the party would not be commenting on questions submitted by the LDRS. The party also declined to answer questions on whether any action would be taken against councillors who share offensive content on social media. Reform UK was asked why the posts were not flagged in the reportedly upgraded vetting process for political candidates but the party also declined to answer. Mr Broadhurst continues to work as a Reform UK representative for Hatfield ward on the City of Doncaster Council where the party has 37 seats. The overwhelming majority would normally have given Reform UK control of the council but - due to Labour winning the vote for the Mayor of Doncaster - executive control of the council remained with them. Reform UK's Alexander Jones was just 698 votes behind Labour's Ros Jones in the mayoral contest. Doncaster Council has said that following the election, all councillors had received training on the Councillor Code of Conduct which applies to them following their election and which sets out the expectations of them. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North The rise of Reform: Party takes Doncaster Council Reform UK selects group leader for city council Reform UK makes big gains in English local elections Doncaster Council
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Calls to suspend councillor over 'Hitler' post
Two Labour MPs have called for Reform UK to suspend one of its newly elected councillors after a photo of Adolf Hitler was shared on his official Facebook page. Hyndburn MP Sarah Smith and Blackpool South MP Chris Webb shared a screengrab of a post from Lancashire county councillor Joel Tetlow's account. Condemning the post on the councillor's social media account, Smith said: "During this country's VE Day anniversary week, he deemed [it] appropriate." The BBC has approached Tetlow, who told Sky News he did not "mean any disrespect", and Reform UK for a response. Lancashire County Council declined to comment and said it was a matter for Reform UK. Tetlow, who represents Accrington North, is part of the newly elected ruling group on Lancashire County Council. The new council leader is due to be elected by the Reform group's councillors on 10 May. Following last week's elections, the party now holds 53 of the local authority's 84 seats. Smith's office said the post appeared on Tetlow's Facebook page at about 13:00 BST on Tuesday and remained visible at 08:00 on Wednesday. The post was later deleted. It featured a picture of Hitler looking at a map and was overlaid with the words "Why don't we invade them slowly? A few men at a time in small boats". The accompanying text then read: "Let's be grateful this idea was never put to him... or the world as we know it would be a whole lot different." Sky News reported earlier that Tetlow had said in a statement that he did not "mean any disrespect" by the post and that he had been asked to remove it by Reform UK. He said daily boats showed "no signs of abating", adding: "We do not know who these people are, and I was likening it to an invasion. "Just as in Greece they used a wooden horse to sneak into Troy during the Trojan War, disguising their soldiers inside." 'Affront to values' Responding on Facebook, Smith said she wanted Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and the party to "immediately suspend" the councillor and for Tetlow to publicly apologise. "During this country's VE Day anniversary week, he deemed the below post appropriate," she said. "If he had any regard for this country's traditions or the sacrifice that our armed forces played, he would not be downplaying Hitler's attempts to invade Britain to score political points." She said Tetlow was "now an elected representative and frankly needs to do better". Fellow Labour MP Webb said he was "appalled" by the post. He added: "This is not just unacceptable; it is an affront to the values we hold dear [as] Lancastrians and as a nation." He said it was "a flagrant violation of the Councillor Code of Conduct and undermines the trust placed in public officials". Lancashire County Council declined to comment on Webb's claim that the post violated the code of conduct. Webb added: "There is no room for hate or extremism in our political discourse, and we must unequivocally condemn this conduct." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. More like this story Related internet links
