A panel is due to decide whether a county councillor’s “racist” comments on social media breached its code of conduct. 

A post by Spennymoor cllr Pete Molloy has been investigated by Durham County Council and since referred to its standards committee, following calls for his resignation after he bemoaned “non-indigenous” British people for voicing their opinions in the mainstream media. 

Opposition councillors called for his immediate resignation but Cllr Molloy stood by his comments when contacted by The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) following the social media post in May. 

Cllr Molloy’s comments were in response to a news story headlined: ‘Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh stuns ITV presenters by calling the Buckingham Palace balcony “terribly white” during live Coronation coverage’. 

“I don't care if this post offends anyone, because enough is enough now and it's about time more and more people grew a pair and speak their minds and stopped being the silent majority and become the vocal majority,” Cllr Molloy said. 

“Another non-indigenous British person with not just a chip, but a whole sack of King Eddie potatoes on their shoulder.”

The Northern Echo: Cllr Molloy refused to remove the post despite the backlash.Cllr Molloy refused to remove the post despite the backlash. (Image: The Northern Echo)

Cllr Molloy, who is a member of Spennymoor and Tudhoe Independent Group, said it is the duty of non-indigenous British people to “assimilate, as best as possible, into the culture and society of the indigenous British people”. 

He added: “I don't care if you are either an indigenous or non-indigenous British person, so if you dislike or hate the history, heritage, culture, religion, governance etc. of Great Britain, please feel free to make your way to any of the many air or sea ports and leave, because you don't have to live here.”

The comments shocked members across the council chamber, with Labour leader Cllr Carl Marshall calling for Cllr Molloy’s resignation. “These comments are racist, misogynistic, divisive and not beholden to a member holding elected office at Durham County Council,” he said. 

Cllr Molloy refused to remove the post despite the backlash. He told the LDRS: “I am unaware of any political organisation asking for my resignation, and if they are, they are not going to get it over a social media post that I made on my personal profile and not in my capacity as a county or town councillor using my councillor profile page.

“I hope that these same political organisations are equally calling for the resignation of Ms Andoh from what employment she is in for her allegedly racist remark towards the Royal Family for calling them 'terribly white' or are their protests only reserved for white folks?”

A Durham County Council spokesman said: “The complaint has been assessed in accordance with our established procedures and will now be referred to a Hearing Panel of the Standards Committee, which will meet in due course to consider whether Councillor Molloy has breached the Member Code of Conduct.”

It comes after a standards committee in 2021 found cllr Molloy posted Islamophobic and racist material on social media, brought his town council into disrepute and bullied and disrespected two of its officers.

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Cllr Alan Shield, cabinet member for equality and inclusion, on behalf of the Joint Administration of Durham County Council, stated: “While freedom of speech allows individuals to express their own views, without hesitation the Joint Administration condemns the comments made by Councillor Molloy. They do not represent who we are, or what we stand for.” 

Cllr Liz Maddison, leader of the Spennymoor and Tudhoe Independent Group, added: "Cllr Molloy has not made these comments on behalf of Spennymoor and Tudhoe Independent Group and the comments made are not representative of my views or the Group’s views.”

A date is yet to be set for the hearing.