In his email, Cllr Giles said that he would be publishing a list of all the people who supported the ceasefire, although anyone who “feared retribution from their parties” could be anonymous.
He then added: “We will also be publishing the names of those who have been invited to sign but choose not to, in the interest of accountability.”
He later backtracked after being confronted by a wave of angry responses from councillors who said the threat was “dangerous at a time when councillors were already feeling under intense pressure”.
‘Councillors are public property’
One anonymous Labour councillor told The Telegraph she had already spoken to police after receiving death threats for her stance on the conflict.
She added: “Councillors are public property, we live in our communities, many people know where we live.
“We don’t get the same level of protection that MPs get, however, and we don’t have police protection when we are meeting the public.
“It has made me think about whether it is even worth being a councillor. The allowance is pitiful; we do it because we want to help our residents. But is it worth being this scared?”
She described the email as “performative”, adding: “As a council, we had just been talking about safety measures that could be implemented for councillors and then this letter came out.
“The people that wrote it will know we are not protected and are saying they will name the people who don’t agree with their bullying tactics. It’s abhorrent.”
She added: “We are all aware of what happened to Jo Cox and David Amess and what we feel now is this fear of the unknown. There is this anger out there and we don’t know what is going to happen.”
‘Email a form of bullying’
A number of councillors, including Barnet Conservative Alex Prager, shared his response to the letter on social media.
He wrote: “If you serve your residents as a local councillor with the same passion as you perpetuate anti-Semitic tropes, you’d be doing them a real service.”
Cumbrian councillor Barbara Cannon described the email as a form of “bullying”.
She added: “Today I am being asked to sign a letter or my name will be published for ‘accountability’. This is for someone I don’t represent and don’t know. It’s always men with big opinions and small brains. I won’t be signing.”
Cllr Giles, representing the Kingston Independent Residents party, previously worked alongside far-Left politician George Galloway on his unsuccessful campaign run in the Batley and Spen by-election.
Cll Chohan, a solicitor, has previously voiced his opposition to the bombardment of Gaza and claimed to be “isolated” from his party.
“I was raised with the belief that we [the UK] are keepers of peace in the world”, he said in an interview with online publication National News.
“The narrative that these children are somehow human shields is completely invalid – would you be OK with an armed officer in Kingston shooting a child as cannon fodder to apprehend a suspect?” he added.
Cllr Chohan told The Telegraph on Monday that he had not signed off the email warning that names would be published, and had only co-authored the open letter.
He added: “Cllr Giles wrote the email to all councillors that contained the perceived threat. It was not written or approved by me.”
‘No intention to publish names’
In a joint statement issued earlier on Sunday night, Cllr Giles said it had never been the intention to publish the names of councillors who objected.
“There is no intention to publish names of councillors that do not respond to our email, nor is there any intention to publish the names of any individuals against their will,” the statement said.
The statement added: “We would encourage any elected representatives that have been threatened to contact the police as this cannot be tolerated. We will continue our democratic duty to engage in debate.”
Cllr Shaun Davies, chair of the LGA, united with all LGA group leaders, said:
“Pending investigation, Cllr Giles has stood down from all formal positions within the Local Government Association and all upcoming speaking opportunities at our events, with immediate effect.”
A spokesman for Kingston Council said: “Our primary concern is the security and safety of our residents, elected members, staff and our local communities, whilst encouraging tolerance and community cohesion.
“The campaign that has been brought to our attention by many is an initiative of individual councillors and is not Kingston Council led or endorsed.
“We are currently looking into the details surrounding this matter and are unable to provide any further comment at this stage.”
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
