Nuneaton councillor criticises 'brain dead' residents

Local, national, international and oddball news stories

Nuneaton councillor criticises 'brain dead' residents

Postby dutchman » Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:37 pm

A councillor who labelled residents complaining about illegal traveller camps as "brain dead" and "morons" is facing calls to resign

Image

Barry Longden, Labour councillor for Nuneaton and Bedworth Council, said he was referring to a small number of residents making "nasty" comments.

His remarks were made in an email sent to councillors and repeated in a community group on Facebook.

Conservative opposition councillors have called for his resignation.

Mr Longden, who is the cabinet member for housing, health and communities, told the BBC his comments had been "taken out of context" and, while he was not going to resign, he would not stand for election in 2020.

Problems with illegal traveller sites across the borough have been going on for months, he said, but denied the council was not handling the situation.

On Facebook, Mr Longden said the complaining residents were "morons" who "can't read" and are "so self-opinionated they don't want to know anything else".

He said his comments, which "applied to about 50 to 60 residents" unhappy with the camps, were made to "support staff who had suffered vile comments and derogatory treatment from these keyboard warriors".

Councillor Kris Wilson, leader or the Conservative opposition, said: "No councillor should show such obvious contempt for residents", and called the comments "beyond the pale".

He called on Mr Longden to resign, saying: "Anyone who refers to people in Nuneaton and Bedworth as such are (sic) unfit to be running this council".

Labour lost control of the council in May 2018 and has just one more seat than the Conservatives - leading Mr Longden to suggest there was a "political motive" behind calls for his resignation.

"I'm not going anyway," he said. "I am not going to be bullied into resigning."

:bbc_news:
User avatar
dutchman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 50286
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:24 am
Location: Spon End

Re: Nuneaton councillor criticises 'brain dead' residents

Postby rebbonk » Tue Jan 15, 2019 11:16 am

Stupid man!

I've known many councillors and politicians over the years, their arrogance and disdain toward the electorate is quite breath-taking. Frankly, I wouldn't *ahem* on any of them, even if they were on fire,
Of course it'll fit; you just need a bigger hammer.
User avatar
rebbonk
 
Posts: 65568
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:01 am

Re: Nuneaton councillor criticises 'brain dead' residents

Postby dutchman » Thu Jan 31, 2019 12:21 pm

Councillor in 'braindead' row steps down

Image

The councillor at the centre of the ‘braindead’ critics comments has resigned from his cabinet position at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.

After demands were made for him to stand down amid a stormy meeting at the Town Hall, Cllr Barry Longden has relinquished his role as cabinet member responsible for housing, health and communities.

But the former mayor will remain as the Kingswood ward representative.

Opposing Conservatives called for him to stand down over the comments he made, in an email and on a Facebook post, which referred to critics of the council’s action against unauthorised traveller encampments as ‘braindead’ and ‘morons’.

Following a wrangle about whether a motion for him to stand down was legal due to a formal complaint being made and a pending standards committee hearing, and a 40 minute adjournment, councillors returned to the chamber and Cllr Longden made an announcement.

“I hold my colleagues over here in very high regard, they are hard-working people and they do their best for the people in the borough and I am not prepared to sit here and listen to the abuse from over the other side, left, right and centre," Cllr Longden said.

“On that basis, in defence of my own future I suppose, I will not sit in a kangaroo court and I will now resign my post on the cabinet in order to get a fair hearing on the standards committee, where I hope my comments will then be heard and made public.

“As of now, this is my resignation from the cabinet."

Having proposed the motion for him to resign over what he described as 'deeply, deeply offensive' and 'painful' comments, Cllr Kris Wilson, leader of the Tories, replied that they would remove the motion.

"I thank Councillor Longden for doing the honourable thing and resigning from his post," Cllr Wilson said.

Image
User avatar
dutchman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 50286
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:24 am
Location: Spon End

Re: Nuneaton councillor criticises 'brain dead' residents

Postby rebbonk » Thu Jan 31, 2019 12:55 pm

I wonder if the stupid man now regards himself as being 'braindead'?
Of course it'll fit; you just need a bigger hammer.
User avatar
rebbonk
 
Posts: 65568
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:01 am


Return to News

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests

  • Ads