Council leader sorry for ‘bad individuals’ social blog post

Council leader sorry for 'poor people' social post
Paul Moseley

BBC political press reporter, Norfolk

Qays Najim/BBC Kay Mason Billig is looking at the camera. We can see she's wearing a patterned suit jacket. Qays Najim/BBC

Kay Mason Billig claimed her individual blog post had been secured of context

A council leader apologised “unreservedly” for publishing an image of a steak supper on Facebook with words: “Wonder what all the bad individuals are doing?”

Norfolk Region Council’s Conventional leader Kay Mason Billig claimed it was a personal joke secured of context and the remarks were “not planned to be concerning any individual else”.

A duplicate of her blog post, which revealed a tomahawk steak, merlot and a salad, was shared with the Eastern Daily Press

The council’s Liberal Democrat team leader Brian Watkins claimed it made “a mockery of several in our region having a hard time to make ends satisfy” and asked for her to surrender.

Kay Mason Billig is sitting at a council meeting. She has a navy jacket on top of a white top.

Mason Billig has actually been a region councillor given that 2021 and took control of as leader in Might 2023 

Mason Billig, that has actually led the council given that 2023, claimed: “Obviously I apologise unreservedly if I have actually triggered any type of offense, it was never ever my purpose to do so.”

She claimed the photo– extracted from her individual Facebook web page– was being “turned right into something it isn’t”.

“My hubby and I have actually occasionally called ourselves ‘the bad individuals’,” she described.

“It’s a personal joke as we live relatively decently, so when we have a reward, we will certainly occasionally publish concerning it.

“It’s not planned to be concerning any individual else and is no representation on individuals that are much less well off than ourselves.

“I am deeply dissatisfied that somebody has actually determined to be this awful when they should definitely understand it’s in fact self deprecation.”

Stuart Woodward/BBC Professor Paul Whiteley is in what appears to be his office. We can see a bookcase behind him. Stuart Woodward/BBC

Teacher Paul Whiteley claimed the individual blog post coming to be public was “definitely unpleasant”

While the blog post was made on her individual web page, College of Essex teacher of federal government Paul Whiteley claimed political leaders needed to beware making use of social networks.

“To someone that really did not understand her, it would certainly seem like she was being disrespectful concerning individuals that are bad, also if that’s not what she suggested,” he claimed.

“That’s what it will certainly seem like to the substantial bulk of individuals.”

Watkins, whose Liberal Democrats are the major resistance team on the council, claimed Mason Billig “must consider her resignation quickly”.

“A councillor is never ever off task. These remarks travesty several in our region having a hard time to make ends satisfy.”

Work team leader Steve Morphew claimed Mason Billig was “inaccessible”.

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