South Shields MP brands councillor a ‘bully’ following rule-breaking and disrespectful emails
A senior South Tyneside councillor has been branded as a ‘bully’.
Emma Lewell, the Member of Parliament for South Shields, has hit out against Councillor Ernest Gibson following the outcome of a Standards Committee this week in relation to a complaint about his conduct towards her.
The primary complaint dated back to February 15, 2022, and was linked to Cllr Gibson’s correspondence relating to Ms Lewell and her friends and family, which was disclosed to the Labour MP following an earlier ‘subject access request’ made to the council.
The MP alleged Cllr Gibson’s behaviour formed part of a “coordinated campaign”, which included “bullying”, as well as “discussing and coordinating party politics” using an official council email and “organising against [her]”.
Cllr Gibson, who is South Tyneside Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, “disputed and denied all the allegations made against him”, adding the investigating officer’s conclusions were “based on misinformation” and noting several issues had already been investigated by the Labour Party with no further action taken.
The outcome of the Standards Committee saw Cllr Gibson being “formally censured” and that he will also be required to “complete mandatory training in the areas of conduct and behaviour.”
In a statement following the Standards Committee, the MP said: “Over three years ago I made a complaint under the Council's Code of Conduct regarding Clr Ernest Gibson.
“I engaged honestly and openly with the solicitor allocated as the Investigating Officer, from the outset. Any evidence asked for, I provided. I stand by everything I have said.
“Cllr Gibson did not engage with the investigation. He breached confidentiality and chose to attack the Monitoring Officer, the integrity of the Investigating Officer and myself personally.
“He referred to me as a fantasist, a liar, distorter of the truth, libellous, and as being obsessed with him. He has failed to provide any evidence to support the claims he makes.
“He only responded to the allegations late last year after the Investigating Officer shared his findings with him.
“The Investigating Officer's findings where that ClIr Gibson breached the Members Code of Conduct, brought the Council into disrepute and behaved contrary to the standards expected in public life.
“Also, that he has not treated me with respect or decency, does not respect the role of council officers and is a bully who created an intimidating, hostile, degrading and humiliating environment for me, and organised against me based on a long standing, and deep-seated level of contempt for me.
“These findings were based on over 100 emails ClIr Gibson sent and received in a short space of time using his Cllr e-mail account, about my professional, personal, and family life, including my fitness to adopt children, as well as using council officers to aid distribution of negative information about me.”
Ms Lewell also hit out over the handling of the Standards Committee and behaviour of those who were sitting on it.
She added: “I only had sight of ClIr Gibson's response to these allegations in May this year.
“Prior to the hearing this week I was denied any opportunity to respond, my interview transcript was heavily redacted due to political interference, Cllrs on the panel who have already openly expressed their dislike for me were allowed to remain in judgement and I was denied any opportunity to speak in the hearing.
“Cllr Gibson tried and failed to postpone the hearing. He was given the opportunity to attend and speak. He chose not to.
“At the hearing, the committee whose remit was to test the robustness of the report before them instead chose to do everything but.
“Instead, his friends and colleagues on the committee, deflected and filibustered about page numbers, redactions, process, and the constitution as well as maintaining ClIr Gibson's pretence that the complaint had already been addressed elsewhere.
“It became clear through some of the questions being asked that they had failed to properly read the report under consideration.
“At no point did they question the Investigating Officer about his report and findings regarding Cllr Gibson's conduct and behaviours, instead they questioned the integrity of the Investigating Officer, debated Cllr Gibson's rights and relied almost exclusively on his questionable interview statement.
“After many hours had passed Cllr John Robertson was cautioned by the chair that he may be seen to be, in contravention of the committee's remit, acting on behalf of and advocating for ClIr Gibson.
“I sat through the entirety of yesterday's [Monday, August 4] hearing, and although the committee agreed with minimal aspects of the Investigating Officers' findings, it was an utter sham.
“I have only ever wanted to serve my community. The 12 years I have had the honour of being the MP for South Shields have been sullied by horrendous behaviour towards me, my family, and friends repeatedly and led by the same individuals, inclusive of Clir Gibson.
“No one deserves this treatment. I will not be driven from my job by those who have repeatedly demonstrated that they do not behave according to the standards required by public office.”