COUNCIL WALK-OUT ROW

LIB DEM MEMBER WALKS OUT OF MEETING OVER ‘DYSLEXIA INSULT’

A councillor has hit back over claims that he deliberately insulted a political rival over his dyslexia in a heated meeting, describing the accusations as “nonsense”.

Liberal Democrat councillor Stephen O’Brien has called on Labour’s Graeme Miller to apologise and resign from his cabinet post for comments made during a Sunderland City Council meeting this week.

The flashpoint occurred as Coun O’Brien asked a question about the budget for the forthcoming Tall Ships Races.

But before Cabinet Secretary, Coun Mel Speding, could respond, his Labour colleague Coun Miller said he should “use small words” in his reply.

Coun O’Brien said he felt the remark was unfair, as he is dyslexic, and walked out of the meeting in disgust before later returning.

He has called on Coun Miller to resign as the council’s cabinet member for health, housing and adult services – which includes responsibility for services for adults with disabilities – and says he is considering referring his political opponent to the authority’s standards board for breaking the councillors’ code of conduct.

Coun Miller, who has held his cabinet post for six years, insists he is a disabilities champion for the council and has worked with a host of mental health and autism organisations across the city during the years.

He said: “All I said was ‘use small words’ to Coun Mel Speding, because Councillor Speding was responding to a question from the Liberal Democrats about the Tall Ships and they couldn’t seem to understand the budget and why the budget had increased.

“It is a nonsense, my wife is dyslexic. My son his Asperger’s and has learning difficulties and he is 29 years old, so for anybody to suggest I am against people with disabilities, is totally disgraceful.”

Coun O’Brien said: “I was in total shock that a local councillor could say something so indescribably stupid. Graeme Miller may not like my politics, my campaigns, or my political party – but it is no excuse to make outrageous and wholly unacceptable remarks about a disability.

“He should also resign his Adult Services portfolio.”

“I was in total shock that a local councillor would say that” COUN O’BRIEN