A Bradford Council meeting intended to address the pressing issue of violence against women was overshadowed by a heated confrontation, during which Conservative Councillor Falak Ahmed (Bingley Rural) was heckled and told to “shut her mouth” while speaking on the topic.
The incident, reported by GB News and the Telegraph and Argus, has sparked widespread criticism, with many questioning the appropriateness of such behaviour in a setting meant to foster open dialogue and debate.
The meeting, held earlier this month, saw the Labour-led council table a motion emphasising the urgent need to tackle gender-based violence. Introducing the motion, Councillor Kamran Hussain (Labour, Toller) highlighted the unsettling reality that one in four women in the Bradford district has experienced some form of gender-based violence. He went on to stress the importance of education, early intervention, and collective commitment to combat these issues.
In her remarks, Cllr Ahmed addressed the societal pressures and harmful practices within Muslim communities, including her own Pakistani heritage, that contribute to gender-based violence.
She said: “In some communities, there is a strong emphasis on family honour, and that can result in harmful practices such as discrimination and gender-based violence. Women face societal pressure to conform to specific roles – prioritising family obligations over personal aspirations. One issue that arises from these negative things is sexual grooming.”
Cllr Ahmed comments were met with a hostile response by her Bradford Council colleagues. Multiple councillors interrupted her, with one shouting for her to “shut up”, and others demanding she apologise for “singling out” a specific community.
A point of order was then raised by Cllr Kamran Hussain, who urged the chamber to avoid divisive language and focus on the broader issue of violence against women.
The disruption prompted sharp criticism from several councillors.
Cllr Matt Edwards (Green, Tong) remarked: “The behaviour in the last five minutes in this chamber has been appalling. Shouting across a chamber and telling a woman to ‘shut her mouth’ is completely inappropriate when discussing this issue.”
Similarly, Cllr Sinead Engel (Labour, Clayton and Fairweather Green) said: “I’m appalled that, while discussing violence against women, some think it acceptable to shout over a female colleague in such an aggressive manner.”
After the meeting, Cllr Mike Pollard (Conservative, Baildon) voiced his concern over the normalisation of hostility in council meetings. He referenced past incidents, including one where a councillor was told to “be careful of what comes out of that hole in your face”, and lamented how such behaviour undermines the council’s claims of ‘inclusion’ and ‘tolerance’.
Cllr Ahmed expressed disappointment but admitted she was not surprised by the reaction, saying: “Aggression in the chamber is becoming a regular occurrence.”
The incident raises broader concerns about the state of political discourse across the UK, where local council meetings play a crucial role in fostering debate on local issues and holding council officers, departments and contractors accountable.
According to a survey by the Local Government Association in 2023, 81 per cent (8 in 10 respondents) reported having experienced intimidation and/or abuse in their role as a councillor in the last year – a rise of eight per cent compared to the previous year. As a result, 27% of councillors said they would not stand for re-election, while two-thirds (68%) of respondents admitted that abuse and intimidation had influenced their position on whether to stand again.
Research carried out by academics at De Montfort University on behalf of the Association for Public Service Excellence found that almost half (45%) of councillors had experienced a serious incident of abuse, with one in five (22%) requiring their council to implement an action plan to ensure their safety.
A BBC investigation highlighted several recent examples, including harassment, stalking, threats, assault, and even a dead rat being pushed through a letter box.
One councillor said that a member of the public sent him and other councillors so much abuse on social media they were sentenced to three years in prison for persistent harassment and stalking.
Other councillors the BBC spoke to in England and Wales said they had received death threats. One received messages specifying how they would be stabbed when they left the office. The abuse was so relentless he was forced to install panic alarms at home.
