Councillor refuses to back down after criticising public display of LGBT flags

An 81-year-old councillor has refused to apologise for saying she did not want multicoloured LGBT flags along her local Essex high street.

Angela Kilmartin, who was investigated by Braintree District Council after making the remarks on social media, has now been pushed by the Council to apologise and “undergo Equality Act and emotional intelligence training”.

But she told the BBC: “I stand firmly behind my comments already in the media and thank the British public for its unparalleled support by the silent majority.”

‘Private life’

Kilmartin aired her views in response to a man’s attempt to give businesses rainbow flags to display in their shop windows.

She said: “I don’t want Pride sex flags along my High Street. I don’t even want heterosexual flags along my high street. Sex is for the bedroom and private life, not for displaying preferences in public.”

Following complaints, the Conservative group temporarily suspended her as a councillor pending the Council’s investigation, but she is no longer a member of the party because she is not standing for re-election.

Braintree District Council claimed Kilmartin violated its Code of Conduct, but that it would not pursue a full investigation of the incident.

Censorship

Earlier this month, it was revealed that an academic studying the censorship of social scientists at British universities due to their views on transgender issues has had her own research confiscated and been barred from publishing the findings by her university.

Dr Laura Favaro had been invited by City, University of London to conduct the first-of-its-kind study, which received funding from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the British Academy.

The postdoctoral researcher has now brought an employment tribunal claim for harassment, victimisation and whistleblowing detriment against the university.