TL;DR
- Reform UK councillor Tracy Clayton faces backlash.
- Posts mock LGBTQ+ and Muslim communities.
- Accusations include adding slurs to LGBTQ+ acronym.
- Council states posts predate her election.
- Clayton has declined to comment.
Hold onto your rainbow flags, because the political scene in Kirklees just got a whole lot messier! Newly elected Reform UK councillor Tracy Clayton is under fire for a series of social media posts that have left many in the LGBTQ+ community and beyond absolutely fuming. It seems Clayton thought it was a good idea to mock not just LGBTQ+ folks but also Muslim communities, and honey, that’s a recipe for disaster.
According to reports from Yorkshire Live, Clayton, who recently snagged a seat representing Colne Valley West, has been linked to an X account that shared some truly outrageous memes targeting transgender women and other marginalized groups. One of the most jaw-dropping posts included the slur-like term “pedosexual” added to the LGBTQ+ acronym, a nasty trope that has been used to unfairly associate queer individuals with child abuse. Seriously, what was she thinking?
As if that wasn’t enough, the account also questioned climate change and shared content that critics have labeled as racist and discriminatory. It’s like Clayton is trying to win a medal for being the most controversial councillor in town. And what’s her response to all this? When approached at a council meeting, she simply said “no comment.” Classic.
But wait, there’s more! This isn’t the first time a Reform UK councillor from Colne Valley West has faced scrutiny. Fellow councillor Stefan Dransfield recently found himself in hot water over a resurfaced Facebook post from 2020 that showed an Asian man being punched, captioned “very satisfying.” It’s like a bad reality show, but unfortunately, this is real life.
Kirklees Council has weighed in, noting that the posts attributed to Clayton appear to predate her election. A spokesperson stated, “Councillors are required to comply with the Council’s Code of Conduct when acting in their capacity as elected members. The unverified screenshots in question appear to be from posts made prior to the individual being elected as a councillor and before they were subject to the Code of Conduct.” So, technically, she might be off the hook for now, but the damage is done.
As the backlash continues to grow, one has to wonder: will Clayton take responsibility for her actions, or will she continue to hide behind her “no comment” shield? The LGBTQ+ community deserves better than this kind of mockery and disrespect. Stay tuned, because this story is far from over!
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