‘Totalitarian’ council in U-turn after ‘trying to limit’ freedom of speech
Rees-Mogg slams social media clause in tenancy contracts
To put in a contract that you have to be polite about the council is the sort of thing that happens in totalitarian communist states Jacob Rees-Mogg MP
LEADER of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg MP accused Sandwell Council of being a “totalitarian communist state” after an attempt to ‘limit freedom of speech’ of council tenants.
It came after the Labour-led authority launched consultation into changing parts of its tenancy agreements, including a new clause on social media usage.
It read: “You, people living with you, and any visitors to your property must not use social media or any other form of communication to make false statements, abuse, threaten, harass or be derogatory towards council employees, contractors, agents or councillors.
“Communication includes telephone calls, text messages, e-mails or posting comments on social media. This condition applies wherever the communication takes place.”
Councillors and tenants condemned the move as an attempt to stop legitimate housing complaints about the council on social media.
Conservative MP Shaun Bailey (West Bromwich West), raised his concerns in the Commons.
He said: “The rot in the Labour administration in Sandwell is continuing to pervade.
“Last month, we saw the botched attempt by the council to close a care home in Tipton.
“Then we saw the moonlight flit on Tuesday of the leader of the Labour party in Sandwell, and now we have
the disgraceful edict from the Politburo – sorry, I mean the cabinet of Sandwell Council – that if council tenants disagree with the council, they risk eviction from their home.
“This is a disgraceful situation. Can we have a debate in government time about the shambles that is the Labour administration in Sandwell council?
“The opposition promised to deal with it. They have failed. Perhaps it is time for us to do something about it.”
Mr Rees-Mogg replied: “I am appalled by what my honourable
friend tells me. It is a very important point, and it is not the first time that the failings of Labour in Sandwell have been raised in this House.
“There is something rotten at the heart of many socialist councils, and I noticed his slip to refer to the Politburo, because there is sometimes a feeling of absolute control.
“What he raises today to limit freedom of speech is, I think, particularly troubling.
“Politicians must be, and must expect challenge, must expect people to disagree with them, must expect people to push hard and argue their points. To try and put in a council contract that you have to be polite about the council or you have to not say rude things about the council, sounds like the sort of thing that happens in totalitarian communist states, and not in the United Kingdom.”
The council has now published a statement explaining the clause had “not come across in the way we intended”.
A Sandwell council spokesman said: “We consulted on our tenancy conditions because we wanted to hear what the views of our tenants were.
“The proposals have now reached a wider audience, and it is clear our purpose, which was to make sure that people could do their jobs without being harassed, has not come across in the way we intended.
“We will look at the wording along with all the other areas of review.”