A DEBATE on free speech was denounced as an electioneering stunt by Conservative councillors, one of whom referred to being ‘figuratively stoned’ by the ‘church of woke’.

As Oxfordshire County Councillors met for an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday, Conservative councillor Arash Fatemian moved a motion for debate which suggested the council write to Oxford MP Layla Moran to say it was ‘profoundly disappointed’ to hear a view she expressed on free speech during a BBC Question Time debate.

During the programme, Ms Moran, the Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, was asked about the education secretary Gavin Williamson’s plans to introduce ‘free speech champions’ in universities.

The MP said she did not think it was a ‘priority right now’ due to the pandemic.

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As the council discussed Mr Fatemian’s motion, his fellow Conservatives came out in favour of the motion.

Kieron Mallon asked: “If not now, then when is it a priority? We have seen people cancelled, non-platformed, I have been cancelled in this council chamber, lose jobs because their views do not chime with the Twitterati.

“In the church of woke, ladies and gentlemen, apostates are figuratively stoned and silenced every single day.”

He also referred to books being ‘figuratively’ burned and later added: “It is not one MP's views that concern me, it is because a vocal minority are using bullying tactics to impose their views on a mostly silent majority.”

But other councillors were not so supportive.

Oxford Mail: Arash Fatemian. Picture: Damian Halliwell

Labour’s Emma Turnbull said the motion was irrelevant to the business of the council.

She added: “I don’t want to grace this motion with a lengthy response, but I do want to say how inappropriate and puerile it is.

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“Motions to council allow councillors to show what they stand for and what they can offer the local community. All this shows is councillor Fatemian’s vindictiveness against a single female MP and his willingness to weeaponise the issue of free speech to attack people he does not agree with.”

Richard Webber, the Lib Dem group leader defended MP Ms Moran, and said she was ‘quite right’ to say the Government was using the issue as a distraction.

Independent councillor Neville Harris described the motion as an ‘election stunt’ by the Tories.

He added: “I shall be voting against this motion and I shall be voting against it because I have got the right to express through free speech to say I believe this to be a political stunt.”

The motion was the last to be discussed in the specially-convened meeting, and many councillors had already left the session by the time it was debated.

The majority of those remaining voted it down, with 25 against and 23 in favour.