'Offensive' LGBT comments did not break Coventry Council rules

Glenn Williams' comments about LGBT relationships were branded "ignorant, prejudiced and offensive" in an independent report

A councillor who linked homosexuality with promiscuity and said women kissing was akin to pornography did not break council rules, a report found.

Glenn Williams, an independent Coventry City councillor, made the comments during a meeting about relationships education.

He sparked outcry after stating schools should teach "traditional family values... not how to be promiscuous".

He later apologised for his "unfortunate use of words".

A report by independent investigator Matt Lewin found Mr Williams' remarks did not breach council rules, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Mr Lewin said the comments were "ignorant, prejudiced and offensive", but because they formed part of a "political speech" there was "enhanced protection under the law".

The investigation did agree with complainants that Mr Williams "wrongly associated homosexuality with promiscuity and implied that homosexual relationships are intrinsically inferior to heterosexual relationships".

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The full council meeting in January was discussing changes to the curriculum covering topics including LGBT relationships.

The issue had been hotly debated, and was brought to national attention by daily protests outside Birmingham primary schools.

Mr Williams shared an anecdote of a friend's child who was "horrified" at a lesson which discussed how to come out as gay.

"I'm not very comfortable talking about this," he said, before continuing to say he regarded a video showing two women kissing "as, bluntly, pornography".

Mr Williams has represented the Bablake ward for Coventry City Council since 2016

Six fellow councillors complained, while Coventry Pride decried his comments as "vile" and called on him to resign.

Mr Williams faced calls to step down in 2016 when he was forced to apologise for saying non-English speakers were "taking over" the country and should "go home".

The report's findings will be discussed at an ethics committee meeting next Thursday.