'I don’t like bullies and I don’t like misogyny': Banbury councillor quits group amid allegations

Independent county councillor for Banbury, Paul-Austin Sargent, has left the political group, which is formed of Conservatives, Independent Oxford Alliance, and independent members.

It had been the main opposition group at the county council, with county and West Oxfordshire councillor Liam Walker (Conservative) as leader of the opposition.

That role will now fall to Labour Group leader Liz Brighouse as the Labour group is the largest opposition group and therefore the formal opposition on the council.

The county council is run by Lib Dems – the party currently holds 35 of the 69 seats at the authority, although it did drop in and out of minority administration earlier this year.

Mr Sargent, who has shared his cancer journey in council following a stage 4 diagnosis in March, said his health was part of the reason that he has stepped away from Oxfordshire Alliance, but the “main reason” is concern about “misogyny” and “bullying”, including the treatment of Lib Dem councillor, Toyah Overton.

The Oxfordshire Alliance has been questioning whether Ms Overton has moved to Wales while continuing to serve on the county council.

Mr Walker has repeatedly asked questions of Ms Overton, shared images of her campaigning in Pembrokeshire, and written open letters asking for clarification about where she is based in a political row.

Mr Sargent said: “I don’t like bullies and I don’t like misogyny.

“I just felt that the treatment of Cllr Overton, a disabled woman, I don’t know her personal circumstances – she was sat almost opposite me in the council chamber last Tuesday and I could see the pain in her eyes.”

He said he could understand if she had “temporarily moved” to be near a carer and “as long as she’s doing her job, that’s all that should be required of her”.

Mr Sargent said: “It’s up to the electorate of her area to decide whether she’s doing a good job or not, not politicians from another group and for an all-male group of councillors to sort of get behind a question, which was aimed at a disabled woman.

“I think it just didn’t sit well with me, so I think that’s the main reason.”

The councillor said he defines bullying “by the way it makes a person, a victim, feel.”

He said: “If she’s saying she feels bullied, then I believe her, and I don’t think women are listened to enough.”

Mr Sargent said he will continue to work hard representing his ward and maintains friendship and respect for a number of his former colleagues in Oxfordshire Alliance.

Mr Walker said: “I strongly reject any suggestion that our group has engaged in bullying, misogyny or racism.

“Oxfordshire County Council has an established complaints procedure for concerns about councillor conduct, and anyone with genuine concerns should raise them through the appropriate channels rather than making accusations through the media.

“Our challenge regarding Cllr Overton has always been about one very simple question: is a sitting Oxfordshire County Councillor now living in Wales?

“Her gender or disability has absolutely nothing to do with that question, and I believe these other accusations are merely an attempt to distract from answering that question.

“Paul’s decision comes as no surprise to us.

“He has been increasingly distant from our group since losing his position within a local Conservative Association earlier this year.

“He has also threatened to leave on numerous occasions and previously suggested that his continued membership was conditional on being given the chairmanship of a scrutiny committee, which we didn’t agree with.

“While it is disappointing that Paul has chosen to leave, we respect his decision and wish him well. Our continued focus remains on standing up for Oxfordshire residents and holding the Liberal Democrat administration to account.”

On behalf of the county Labour group, Brad Baines said: “We welcome the principled decision by Cllr Sargent to resign from the Oxfordshire Alliance Group, which is tarred by accusations of racism and misogyny – some of which came to the fore at last week’s meeting.

“Such alleged behaviour is completely unacceptable and is in clear conflict with the values of Oxfordshire residents.”

He added that his group “will continue to provide a principled, progressive challenge to the chaotic Liberal Democrat administration at County Hall, which remains asleep at the wheel” and that “unlike other political groups beset by infighting, Labour councillors are focused on delivering a better deal for Oxfordshire residents”.

Lib Dem deputy council leader Neil Fawcett said: “Paul Sargent is a hard-working and effective representative of his community.

“He is also a person of principle, and it is not surprising that he became unhappy with the Conservative Group and their focus on attacking individuals rather than constructive opposition.

“The Lib Dem administration has supported Paul on a number of local issues he has raised and look forward to continuing to do so.”

At a county council meeting last week, former Liberal Democrat councillor Dr Lidia Arciszewska spoke in support of a motion around violence against women and girls.

In her speech, she alleged verbal abuse of female politicians by councillors, “some of whom sit in this very chamber”.

The allegations included “manipulating images from published political literature to portray a female opponent as a witch,” calling a female officer “bulky waste”, planning a campaign against another councillor to “make her life hell” and “creating an image of a board with the name of a newly elected female councillor in a waste bin and sharing it on Facebook”.

A spokesperson for the county council said all allegations of misogyny, sexism, bullying and abuse are taken “extremely seriously”.

They said: “The council has an established process for considering complaints about the conduct of elected members, and anyone can submit a complaint under the member code of conduct.

“All complaints received are carefully considered by the Monitoring Officer and an independent person.

“We would encourage anyone with concerns about the conduct of an elected member to raise them through this process so that they can be properly considered.”