Brighton Councillor Loses Role Over Social Media Posts

A councillor has lost her informal role focusing on regeneration because she retweeted social media posts by or supporting Harry Potter author JK Rowling and the feminist Germain Greer.

Brighton and Hove City Council leader Bella Sankey removed fellow Labour councillor Alison Thomson from the role after complaints about anti-trans posts on the social media site X, formerly Twitter.

The social media posts pre-date her election as a councillor for Regency ward in a seat that she won by one vote.

Councillor Thomson said:

“I apologise unreservedly for endorsing these social media posts which contain anti-trans sentiments.

“I recognise that they are offensive to the transgender community and I am deeply sorry for the hurt caused by this.

“I am committed to undergoing training to better understand the lived experiences of transgender people and with the aim of becoming a good trans ally.”

Her informal role had involved working with senior councillors on policies and actions to support the renewal of the centre of Brighton and Hove.

She remains a member of the council’s Licensing Committee and its Culture, Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Economic Development Committee.

She reposted a tweet with the comment “Go @germainegreer88” with an image of Germaine Greer and a quote comparing gender reassignment surgery with her doctor giving her long ears, liver spots and a brown coat to become a cocker spaniel.

In September last year she retweeted a post that said:

“All #TERFs (trans exclusionary radical feminists) believe in is that women are female and women deserve protections. That’s it #transwomenareMEN.”

On the same day she retweeted a post that said:

“The thing is, we are not debating whether trans people deserve rights. What we are debating is whether trans people’s rights should override the existing hard-won sex-based rights and protections of women and girls.”

Last October she retweeted a post that said:

“If transwomen truly wanted to use women’s spaces for safety … and not the women in those spaces for validation … they wouldn’t reject a third space compromise.”

In January she retweet a post that said:

“JKR (JK Rowling) also supports everyone having the same rights, regardless of their gender identity. India Willoughby demands a raft of privileges for males who believe that they are women. Privileges that would destroy female rights.”

In February she retweeted a post that said:

“If you disagree with Sturgeon, Gilruth, Willoughby and the trans lobby you’re deemed racist, transphobic and a bigot. No one is saying trans people can’t live their best life. We’re saying a man cannot change sex and should not be entitled to enter female-only spaces.”

Councillor Sankey said:

“We know that Brighton and Hove is a beacon city for trans, non-binary, gender-queer and lesbian, gay and bisexual communities.

“People come to our city because we are known as a safe and inclusive city with a thriving, diverse and intersectional population.

“As your Labour council, we stand in solidarity with our trans, non-binary and intersex communities and are proud of our commitment for trans equality and we celebrate our city’s diversity.

“I want to reassure the trans community that any expressions of anti-trans sentiment in any form will not be tolerated.

“Councillor Thomson has now, rightly, apologised unreservedly for her actions.

“I have also taken the decision to remove Councillor Thomson from her lead role on city centre renewal while further investigation is carried out and subject to her completing training.”

Green councillor Chloë Goldsmith, who also represents Regency, called for Councillor Thomson’s resignation.

Councillor Goldsmith said:

“I’m incredibly disappointed to see these awful tweets from my Labour counterpart in Regency.

“They show an utter lack of respect for – and even disgust towards – trans people, many of whom will be residents in her ward.

“Brighton and Hove has one of the largest proportions of trans people in the country, with census data showing that Regency has an even higher number.

“Every single person in this city deserves to feel able to contact their councillor for help and have their identity respected.”