A Carmarthenshire councillor has referred himself to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales after an expletive-laden outburst during a council training seminar. Plaid Cymru’s Dorian Phillips didn’t realise his computer microphone was on when he swore during the virtual meeting. Other councillors were said to be shocked to hear the words: “F***ing swallow that you f***ers” coming from him.
Carmarthenshire Labour leader Rob James has called on Plaid to remove the whip from Cllr Phillips, claiming that his comment was aimed at opposition councillors. The profanity was uttered just after a council officer had explained at the seminar that around 95% of council decisions were made by the cabinet – the ruling executive body which doesn’t have any Labour representation. Cllr Phillips said this wasn’t the case and that his comment was made during a business call he took during the seminar.
His remark prompted newly-elected Labour councillor Shelly Godfrey-Coles – one of those at the meeting – to ask Cllr Phillips to apologise. Cllr James has now called on Plaid, which runs the council in coalition with the Independents, to suspend Cllr Phillips and ensure he made a full apology.
