A win for free speech says cleared ex-Tory

10:15am Wednesday 8th November 2006

A LONG-serving councillor whose days with the Conservative Party were ended by a joke in an email will not have to answer complaints to a local government watchdog.

The Standards Board for England has decided not to investigate complaints made to it about Bournemouth councillor David Clutterbuck's comments on homosexuality.

The storm started last month when Cllr Clutterbuck received a joke email circulated by fellow Tory Cllr Anne Filer, detailing the problems Noah would have from bureaucrats if he were building his Ark in 2006.

After reading the spoof, Cllr Clutterbuck added his own joke: "I imagine now it would be illegal to only have animals of the opposite sex!"

After Liberal Democrat councillors complained, he compounded his problems by telling the Daily Echo that although he got on well with gay colleagues, homosexuality was an "abomination" and that "the law of Moses are more important than the laws of David Cameron".

He later told the BBC that homosexuals controlled the media and wielded too much power.

The leader of Bournemouth Borough Council's Conservative group ordered him to apologise for the remarks, prompting Cllr Clutterbuck to quit the party.

The Standards Board received complaints about his comments on homosexuality to both the Echo and the BBC.

But it said in a letter to Cllr Clutterbuck that although some people were offended by his comments, they "do not amount to deliberate abuse or constitute a gratuitous attack".

Cllr Clutterbuck was speaking in a private capacity and Article 10 of the Convention on Human Rights guaranteed him the right to free speech, the letter said. The matter would not be referred to the standards officer for investigation.

Cllr Clutterbuck said: "I just think it's a win for freedom of speech and also it's a blow against political correctness. All individuals have the right to freedom of speech, which applies to elected members as well."