Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
‘Language probably was not acceptable’
A SENIOR Dundee councillor caught up in a storm after he called members of a women’s group “absolute roasters” today said the language he had used was “probably not acceptable”.
But equalities spokesman Gregor Murray also insisted he had not said anything “over the line” and rejected a call to apologise.
Mr Murray, who has the children and families brief on the council, faced criticism over comments he made during a social media spat with Talat Yaqoob, founder of the Women 50:50 campaign.
The campaign aims to have proportional representatation f or women i n local and national government.
During the Twitter exchange, Councillor Murray said: “Oh look, the absolute roasters at the Women 50:50 campaign smearing us, again. Refusing to debate, spreading lies.”
Today, a co-founder of the Women 50:50 campaign said it was hard to understand why Mr Murray had been given the equal opportunities brief. However, he said: “My position as equalities spokesperson is to stand up for everyone — and that includes people that particular campaign won’t stand up for.
“I have no intention of apologising. The head of the Women 50:50 campaign began tweeting criticism that we had voted against fairer representation for women and I said that was untrue.
“She kept saying it and people kept retweeting it and I kept saying it was untrue. It really wound me up.”
He continued: “I would never consider taking down the tweets. I believe it is better they are up there so people can make up their own minds. I don’t think I said anything over the line — I’m allowed my opinion.
“The use of language was probably not acceptable — I think they were picking on me and trying to harass me and send me abuse and I lashed out. I probably shouldn’t have lashed out in that way.
“Their campaign is awful and I won’t shy away from that. I don’t think this incident will have any impact on my current role in the council. If I’m going to be equalities spokesman I’m going to have to cover all minorities and that includes gender minorities that don’t identify as male or female.
“My comments are there — people can make up their own minds.”
Scottish Labour l eader Kezia Dugdale, a Women 50:50 cofounder, has called for Councillor Murray to apologise.
And fellow co-founder Alison Johnstone, of the Greens, said today: “It’s unfathomable that a council’s equal opportunities spokesperson would make such comments.”