Leeds councillors row after accusations of 'sexist double standards' and 'womansplaining'

Sandy Lay, who represents Otley and Yeadon on the city council, accused some local councillors of using “insulting and demeaning” language during debates and claimed such behaviour had “got worse” over recent times.

He suggested some Opposition members spoke differently to senior female members of the Labour administration, compared to their male counterparts. Councillor Lay made the comments during a debate about standards at a full council meeting on Wednesday.

He said: “The behaviour of some our members is getting worse in this chamber. There appears to be double standards when holding our senior female executive members to account, that there isn’t when holding our male counterparts to the same standard.

“That’s what I’m hearing from some of the women in this chamber and it concerns me. I can’t be an advocate or an ally for women and girls if I don’t make male members aware of it.”

Councillor Lay said that while the political stakes were currently high, with local elections looming and a General Election likely to come next year, “language and tone matter”.

“Despite our political differences it shouldn’t be acceptable to insult and demean each other,” he added.

Senior Labour councillors thanked Councillor Lay for speaking out on the matter. However, tempers later frayed between the two parties during a debate about a second homes tax, when Lib Dem councillor Colin Campbell suggested the Labour deputy leader had “womansplained” during her speech.

In response to angry protests from the Labour benches, he appeared to withdraw the remark, adding, “Forgive me for that one.” But in a particularly bad-tempered exchange, Lib Dem group leader Stewart Golton later accused Councillor Coupar of being “condescending and patronising”, after she’d earlier told him, “We don’t need to learn any lessons from you about how to raise income.”

Asked to withdraw the accusation by Coun Coupar, who insisted she’d not used “personal” language, Councillor Golton refused and accused Labour councillors of a “sense of entitlement”.