A Cornwall Council meeting was thrown into disarray this week after a shocking verbal attack saw Reform UK councillor Julian Minear labelled a 'fascist pig', prompting the immediate suspension of proceedings.
Meeting Descends Into Chaos
The extraordinary scenes unfolded during a heated debate at County Hall in Truro, where tensions between political factions reached boiling point. Council chairman Dominic Fairman was forced to take drastic action as the exchange became increasingly hostile.
According to witnesses, the inflammatory remark came from another councillor during a particularly contentious discussion, though the identity of the individual responsible remains unclear.
Reform UK Responds
Councillor Minear, representing the St Ives West area, expressed his dismay at the personal nature of the attack. 'To be called a fascist pig in what should be a professional setting is completely unacceptable,' he stated following the incident.
The Reform UK party, which has been gaining ground in local politics, condemned the language used, describing it as 'unbecoming of elected officials and damaging to democratic discourse'.
Procedure Suspended Indefinitely
In an unprecedented move, Chairman Fairman suspended the meeting indefinitely, stating that proceedings could not continue in such a toxic atmosphere. 'We must maintain decorum and respect, even when opinions differ strongly,' he declared from the chair.
The suspension marks one of the most dramatic interventions in recent Cornish political history and raises questions about the increasingly polarised nature of local government debates.
Investigation Launched
Council authorities have confirmed that an official investigation into the incident has been launched. 'We take matters of conduct extremely seriously and will be reviewing what occurred,' a council spokesperson said.
The controversy comes at a sensitive time for local politics in Cornwall, with several contentious issues currently under discussion that have exposed deep divisions between different political groups.
