Lancashire councillor's use of social media discussed at meeting
Lancashire County Council says the meeting between political leaders and the police was “productive”
Lancashire County Council says a meeting between political leaders and the police about concerns over some councillors’ use of social media was “productive” – and designed to encourage “high standards”.
The gathering was held at County Hall on Monday afternoon, in the wake of claims from opposition group leaders that some members of the ruling Reform UK group had engaged in “personal” and intimidatory online attacks against their opponents.
The national party dismissed the allegations as part of “a pattern” it claimed had been seen across the country of “vexatious” complaints against Reform councillors from Labour.
The meeting with the police – first reported by the Financial Times – was arranged by county council chief executive Mark Wynn in relation to what a spokesperson for the authority said was “a number of social media posts recently placed by councillors from different political parties.”
It saw county council group leaders briefed by a Lancashire Constabulary officer on the government’s nationwide Operation Ford initiative, designed to protect elected representatives from harassment and intimidation “in connection with their official position”.
However, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands that local Reform UK group leaders – including Lancashire County Council leader Stephen Atkinson – are unable to unilaterally discipline their own members, because of a requirement for the party’s head office to be involved in the process.
That stands in contrast to the arrangements of other established parties whose local group leaders – whether in control of councils or in opposition – have the power to sanction councillors of their own political colour, even up to the point of suspension.
The LDRS understands that local disciplinary matters within Reform are handled in collaboration between the party’s central office and the local group leadership on the ground.
Lancashire County Council’s Labour group leader Mark Clifford – speaking to the LDRS shortly before Monday’s meeting – said that was a major flaw, because he believed there were members of the ruling Reform group at County Hall that were in need of more serious censure than County Cllr Atkinson “appealing to their better nature”.
He said that Labour county councillor Kim Snape, who represents the Chorley Rural East division, had been the subject of “awful comments” prompted by some “divisive” online posts.
He also condemned what he said was the changed atmosphere between the ruling and opposition groups since Reform UK swept to power at the county council in May.
“Full council meetings are always a bit of theatre. But you’d walk outside the chamber and everybody would pat each other on the back and even say, ‘You spoke really well’ – there was no ill feeling.
“But you walk out of there now and you can just see the anger in – admittedly not all – of the ruling group,” said County Cllr Clifford, adding that there needed to be a return to “healthy mutual respect” between local politicians.
When approached by the LDRS for comment on the issues raised, a national spokesperson for Reform UK said: “Across the country, we’ve seen a pattern of Labour councillors and supporters attempting to weaponise the complaints system against Reform.
“They submit an avalanche of vexatious complaints which do little more than waste the time and resources of council officers for reports which are rarely, if ever, upheld.
“This is an admission by a desperate Labour Party that they can’t beat us at the ballot box.”
Before Monday’s meeting, County Cllr Atkinson said he was “disappointed” that the “informal” event had been “politicised”.
Asked at full council meeting last month by Labour county councillor Samara Barnes whether he would sign up to the Local Government Association’s (LGA) ‘Debate not Hate’ campaign – and commit to “tackling abuse and promoting healthy, respectful debate in local politics” – County Cllr Atkinson, who is Reform’s national group leader on the LGA, described it as a “good” initiative.
He pledged to bring the matter to the county council’s political governance working group in the new year “where we can discuss it fully and align it with the other aims and ambitions of the council”.
A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said of Monday’s police briefing: “There was a productive, informal meeting held with leaders from all political parties to encourage strong community leadership and high standards across the council.”