Councillor accused of stifling free speech after making complaint against counterparts social media use

Terry Jermy, Labour leader on Breckland Council

By Andrew Fitchett Thursday, February 12, 2015 4:27 PM

A councillor has been accused of stifling free speech after he made a complaint against a counterparts use of social media.

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Mark Robinson, Conservative Breckland councillor for Saxon Ward in Thetford, filed a complaint against Labours Terry Jermy before Christmas after the latter tweeted that Mr Robinson had a poor attendance record at community meetings. Breckland Council cleared Mr Jermy of the complaint in January.

The tweet was made after a meeting of the Barnham Cross Action Group on November 17 which Mr Robinson failed to attend.

In his response to the complaint, Mr Jermy not only denied the claim, but said Mr Robinsons attendance record was poor and that he found the complaint ironic after Mr Robinson had tweeted similar comments regarding opposition councillors attendance.

Mr Jermy said this week that his Breckland colleague was stifling free speech with the complaint.

Its the sort of thing you would expect from a dictatorship, not in a democratic society, he said.

He added: Residents at that meeting have raised the fact that one of their councillors is a regular no-show at meetings and one of my responsibilities is to highlight that fact.

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Councillor accused of stifling free speech after making complaint against counterparts social media use