Councillor doubles down on attack on rainbow table branding it ‘indoctrination’

Emily Price 

A councillor accused of homophobia has launched a fresh attack on a rainbow coloured table at a shopping centre, branding it an “ideology” being forced on children and demanding an end to what he branded “indoctrination”.

Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr councillor Owain Clatworthy triggered a backlash on social media on Monday (November 2) when he reignited a row over the wooden table outside a Marks & Spencer store at the McArthur Glen designer outlet in Bridgend.

In a post to Facebook, the Restore Britain councillor wrote: “A rainbow picnic table is not ‘inclusive’.

“It’s the forced promotion of an ideology that many parents do not want pushed on their kids.

“Public money and public spaces should serve the community, not lecture it.

“Stop the indoctrination.”

Cllr Clatworthy, a practising evangelical Christian and Tommy Robinson supporter who was raised in care, posted a photo of the multi-coloured table to social media back in July.

He was branded a “bigot” and accused of “homophobia” after he captioned the image complaining that he couldn’t even sit down for a coffee at the popular shopping spot for five minutes “without being reminded of the latest mandatory ideology”.

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

The post attracted tens of thousands of comments and made headlines nationally, including in PinkNews – an online publication covering LGBTQ+ issues.

Bridgend Pride lodged a formal complaints with the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales and Bridgend County Borough Council about Cllr Clatworthy’s conduct, describing his remarks about the table as “deeply concerning”.

Bridgend Council also complained to the public services watchdog after Cllr Clatworthy used official council branding on correspondence containing further anti-LGBTQ+ remarks to a Church in Wales clergyman.

Reverend Geraint John had 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 responded with a letter branded with Bridgend Council’s logo arguing that “true Christian love does not affirm what God calls sin”.

However, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales confirmed it had not launched any formal probe into Cllr Clatworthy’s conduct.

In recent weeks, Bridged Council’s ruling Labour group used rainbow coloured virtual backgrounds during a meeting to mock the Restore Britain councillor.

The local authority’s leaders have also backed a motion calling on the Welsh Government to introduce a Westminster-style “recall mechanism”.

This would allow voters to remove elected representatives between elections if they are found to have breached public trust.

It came after a petition calling for Cllr Clatworthy’s removal reached over 2,500 signatures.

Cllr Clatworthy became Bridgend’s youngest-ever county councillor at 20-years-old under Reform UK’s banner in May 2025.

However, it later emerged that he had secretly tried to join the council’s ruling Labour group, saying he couldn’t stand Reforms leader Nigel Farage.

Cllr Clatworthy was placed bottom of Reform’s list for Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg at the Senedd election.

He later 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 and caused outrage when he invited a far-right group to interview him in Bridgend council’s debating chamber.