Bridgend Pride lodges complaints over Restore councillor’s rainbow remarks

Emily Price 

Bridgend Pride has lodged formal complaints against a Restore Britain councillor over comments about a rainbow-painted picnic table that prompted accusations of homophobia.

The all inclusive festival which celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies said it believed it was necessary “to address the continued conduct” of Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr Cllr Owain Clatworthy.

Cllr Clatworthy faced a sharp backlash online this week when he became “triggered” by a multi-coloured table at McArthurGlen Designer Outlet in Bridgend.

In a post to Facebook attached to an image of the table, he wrote: “You can’t even sit down for a coffee at McArthur Glen for five minutes without being reminded of the latest mandatory ideology.

“This isn’t about kindness or inclusion. It’s about making one political view impossible to escape in every public space.

“Ordinary people are tired of it. They just want to live their lives without every surface being turned into a billboard.”

Bridgend Pride described the post as “deeply concerning” adding that it had invested “significant time, resources and commitment” into creating a community that was “welcoming, inclusive and respectful of all people”.

In a statement published to Facebook, the organisation wrote: “Those elected to public office are expected to uphold the Nolan Principles of Public Life and to treat all members of the public with respect, integrity and impartiality.

“No individual should feel marginalised or targeted by someone entrusted with representing the entire community.

“Accordingly, Bridgend Pride has today submitted formal complaints regarding Cllr Clatworthy’s conduct to Bridgend County Borough Council, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales and our local Member of Parliament.

“We believe it is appropriate that these concerns are considered through the proper democratic and regulatory processes.

“Public office is a privilege, not a platform from which to repeatedly express views that risk alienating sections of the community.

“Every elected representative has a duty to serve all residents equally, irrespective of their protected characteristics or personal beliefs.

“Bridgend Pride will continue to champion equality, dignity and inclusion. We will not be deterred by attempts to divide our community, nor will we remain silent when we believe those values are being undermined.”

Abuse

However, the statement was later deleted from Facebook with the organisation saying the post had attracted a significant number of abusive messages and comments.

“We will not provide a platform for abuse, intimidation or hate speech,” Bridgend Pride said, adding that it was appropriate for the complaints against Cllr Clatworthy to be considered “without further public commentary”.

Cllr Clatworthy, a practicing Christian, has argued that the high level of engagement on the image of the rainbow table indicated that he was “on the side of common sense”.

The image went viral after he uploaded it on Tuesday (July 28) with LGBTQ+ news outlet Pink News also picking up on the story.

Amid a flurry of critical Facebook comments, the 22-year-old published a screen grab of a post by fellow Restore councillor Paul Young who said that long before the rainbow became a symbol of the Pride movement, it represented “God’s covenant with humanity”.

Church in Wales clergyman Reverend Geraint John sent a letter to Cllr Clatworthy saying the LGBTQ+ community had been “marginalised and excluded in the Church and in our communities for far too long”.

Cllr Clatworthy hit back saying that “true Christian love does not affirm what God calls sin”.

In recent weeks, the Restore Britain councillor has claimed victory after complaints made against him to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales were allegedly dismissed.

It is understood that the complaints related to the Restore Britain councillor’s recent remarks about Islam and multiculturalism which were unbranded “racist” and “divisive”.

The independent body told Nation.Cymru last week that it had not launched an investigation into the Restore Britain councillor’s conduct.

However, it is unclear whether that position has since changed.

Attention

Some Bridgend sources have suggested that Cllr Clatworthy’s increasingly controversial posts were driven by the attention and publicity they generated for him.

A source said: “This is Owain getting what he wants. He doesn’t see himself as a politician, he sees himself as a public figure.

“He wants the attention and will agitate as much as possible to achieve it.”

Cllr Clatworthy, who was brought up in the care system, agreed with this comment, saying he didn’t view himself as a member of the “cowardly club called politicians”.

He made history last year when he became Bridgend’s youngest-ever county councillor at 20-years-old under Reform’s banner.

Shortly after narrowly defeating the Labour candidate by 30 votes, it emerged that he had tried to join the council’s ruling Labour group, saying he couldn’t stand Nigel Farage.

He was unveiled as Reform’s sixth placed Senedd election candidate for Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg in the spring, but resigned from the party following a dispute over its candidate selection process.

Although he initially said he intended to remain an Independent councillor in Bridgend, he later announced that he had joined Rupert Lowe’s party.

Since joining Restore Britain he has published a significant number of controversial social media posts including lashing out at educators who encourage “slow” children to have ambitions.

He said: “If you’re slow, life will be harder. If you’re not bright, some doors will stay shut. Not everyone can do everything. That’s just reality.

“This constant ‘you’re special just for existing’ messaging is producing a generation of entitled narcissists who collapse the moment reality hits. Stop lying to kids. Tell them the truth.”

He has also said that “Islam is not compatible with Western civilisation” and that “multiculturalism is a failure”.

Earlier this month, Cllr Clatworthy took aim at the Church, claiming it had turned Jesus into a “timid woke wimp”.

He later sparked a heated row by describing a town centre as a “complete dump”.

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