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Gay blame councillor David Silvester escapes action | Gay blame councillor David Silvester escapes action |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A former UKIP councillor will not face any action after he blamed the winter storms and flooding on the legalisation of gay marriage. | A former UKIP councillor will not face any action after he blamed the winter storms and flooding on the legalisation of gay marriage. |
In a letter sent to the Henley Standard newspaper in January, town councillor David Silvester warned the prime minister the legislation would result in "disaster". | |
An inquiry by South Oxfordshire District Council found the comments had not breached its code of conduct. | |
Mr Silvester said he had "no regret". | |
The letter had been signed "Councillor David Silvester" with the newspaper adding "Henley Town Council, UKIP". | |
'Very relieved' | |
But the investigator said he felt any reasonable observer would conclude he was expressing his personal views and not those of the town council. | But the investigator said he felt any reasonable observer would conclude he was expressing his personal views and not those of the town council. |
In a statement, South Oxfordshire Council said: "The council's monitoring officer has decided to take no further action on the complaints... | |
"She considers that this matter falls outside the scope of the council's standards framework. She therefore has no powers to take any further action in relation to the allegations." | |
Mr Silvester has been warned that using his honorific title in personal correspondence is not advisable as it lays his reputation and that of the town council open to unnecessary risk. | Mr Silvester has been warned that using his honorific title in personal correspondence is not advisable as it lays his reputation and that of the town council open to unnecessary risk. |
He was expelled from UKIP in February after making the comments. | He was expelled from UKIP in February after making the comments. |
In the letter he wrote: "The scriptures make it abundantly clear that a Christian nation that abandons its faith and acts contrary to the Gospel (and in naked breach of a coronation oath) will be beset by natural disasters such as storms, disease, pestilence and war." | In the letter he wrote: "The scriptures make it abundantly clear that a Christian nation that abandons its faith and acts contrary to the Gospel (and in naked breach of a coronation oath) will be beset by natural disasters such as storms, disease, pestilence and war." |
Following the investigation, Mr Silvester said he was "very relieved" at the outcome. | |
"I believed [the letter] was right at the time and have continued to believe so," he said. | |
He said he would continue as a councillor and it was "quite possible" he would stand in next year's election. |
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