A meeting of the Portland Town Council on Wednesday, 19 November, has erupted in controversy, leaving residents questioning the integrity and democratic principles of their local government. The focal point of the turmoil is Councillor Scott Horton, whose online behaviour has been labelled as homophobic and misogynistic, and the council’s apparent refusal to hold him to account.
The evening was charged with tension from the outset. Observers noted that the Chair, Councillor Sue Cocking, and Councillor Horton arrived together, a detail that suggested a pre-existing alliance and set the stage for what many would later describe as a heavily controlled and undemocratic proceeding.
The discord began almost immediately. In a poignant and telling moment, Chaplain to the Council, Councillor Angie McLachlan read a prayer and promptly submitted her letter of resignation before leaving the chamber. The Chair’s failure to even acknowledge this significant event was seen by many as a dismissal of a colleague’s clear stand against the council’s current environment.
The situation escalated during the designated “democratic half hour,” a period intended for public engagement. However, Councillor Cocking imposed unusually strict guidelines on what could be discussed, explicitly ruling out any mention of Councillor Horton’s online conduct. This move effectively silenced residents on the very issue that has been causing public disquiet, leading to accusations that the council was shielding one of its own from scrutiny.
Undeterred, one local resident directly challenged this gag order. She demanded to know how the councillors could remain silent while Councillor Horton used derogatory phrases like “soppy fairies” and “femme fresh camp Nancy boys” to describe gay military veterans.
The response from the chair was swift and aggressive. Rather than allowing the question, Councillor Cocking immediately shut down the dialogue. When the resident persisted, Cocking marched across the room, shouted at them aggressively, and threatened them with expulsion. As the town clerk moved to suspend the meeting, the resident voiced her profound disgust, not only at Horton’s homophobic remarks but also at his online hypocrisy regarding women’s appearances. The person then left of her own accord.
For bystanders, the scene was deeply unsettling. It painted a picture of a council in disarray, with a “loose cannon” in its ranks and a leadership unwilling to address the disrepute he is bringing upon the entire institution. The aggressive conduct of the chair, seemingly in defence of the accused, raised serious questions about impartiality and the council’s commitment to basic democratic norms.
In a small but significant postscript, it has since been revealed that the Chair, Councillor Cocking, was formally chastised for her aggressive response. While this acknowledges a failure of decorum, it does little to address the core issue: the alleged bigotry of Councillor Scott Horton and the systemic culture of protection that appears to prevent him from being held to account.
I wonder what Equality, Diversity, and Inclusiveness (EDI) awareness training both councillors and staff have had? – if any? A local EDI trainer can be recommended.
The people of Portland are left waiting for an answer to a simple, damning question: why won’t their town council confront this scandal?
The usual rent-a-hate mob have been having their say too:
Interestingly, some of these also appear in this exposure of Reform voters and Yaxley-Lennon supporters in all of their pomp:
