The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Report says Labour councillor should be offered training over code breach
A Labour councillor in Peterborough should be ‘offered training’ after he described a Tory opponent as a “misogynist”, “bully” and “liar” in the latest episode of a long-standing spat, according to a report.
Cllr Ed Murphy was told to undergo formal training on his use of social media after twice breaching the city council’s code of conduct following comments he made about cabinet member for finance, Cllr David Seaton.
The recommendation is the latest episode in an ongoing and public row between both men which a new report said: “has done little for the reputation of either”.
The report, which has now been published after an independent investigation, added that Cllr Seaton has also: “made comments about Cllr Murphy that are in many ways similar to those complained about”.
The findings will now be considered by the council’s constitution and ethics committee, which Cllr Seaton chairs and which Cllr Murphy is a member of.
The two upheld complaints were made by Cllr Seaton and his wife who told investigators that she had considered legal action over Cllr Murphy’s comments.
The report from ch&i associates stated: “Cllr Murphy is clearly a committed and hardworking member of the council who is passionate about representing his local community.
“We have concluded, though, that Cllr Murphy’s comments about Cllr Seaton on Facebook went beyond the ‘rough and tumble’ of local politics and instead amounted to online personal abuse.”
It added that the decision was “finely balanced” and that there had been “provocation” after Cllr Seaton had tried to get Cllr Murphy excluded from a meeting on May 16, 2019.
A third complaint, that Cllr Murphy had posted an acronym on a private Facebook page which constituted an offensive message to Cllr Seaton was dismissed because he was not said to be acting in an official capacity as a councillor.
Cllr Murphy, Labour and Co-operative member for Ravensthorpe, told the Peterborough Telegraph: “This complaints report goes back a couple of years.
“I’ve already undergone the training as recommended.”
Cllr Seaton, Conservative member for Hampton Vale, has been approached for comment but not responded at the time of going to press.
The report outlines in detail the long running series of disagreements between the pair, with both having made several complaints about the other.
Under council policy, the names of councillors who are subject to a complaint are never revealed unless the complaint is upheld.
Councillors have also adopted a social media code which warns them to not “use inappropriate or ill-considered, offensive, illegal or discriminatory remarks”.