Cornwall councillor, who previously described trans women as "men who pretend to be women", cleared over 'anti-LGBTQ' social media post

A Cornwall councillor accused of sharing an "anti-LGBTQ+" social media meme has been cleared of breaching the council's code of conduct, prompting renewed concern among LGBTQ+ campaigners about how elected representatives are held to account for their online activity.

Cornwall Council has ruled that Cllr Dulcie Tudor, who represents Truro and Chacewater, will face no further action over a complaint relating to a social media post that critics said promoted hostility towards LGBTQ+ people.

The complaint centred on a meme allegedly liked by Tudor, which reportedly depicted a stick figure kicking another figure coloured with a rainbow flag. According to the complainant, an artificial intelligence assessment of the image suggested it conveyed themes of "hostility and exclusion" towards LGBTQ+ communities.

However, Simon Mansell, Cornwall Council's head of governance, elections and investigations, concluded there was insufficient evidence to show Tudor had acted in her capacity as a councillor when engaging with the post.

In his decision, Mansell said there was "nothing" in the screenshots submitted by complainants, or on the social media profile involved, to indicate that Tudor had liked the post as a Cornwall councillor.

He added that while the concerns raised by complainants were understood, the council's ethical standards process could not be applied to actions carried out in a councillor's private capacity.

The ruling is the latest in a series of complaints involving Tudor and comments about trans people. Earlier investigations also found she had not breached the council's code of conduct after describing trans women as "men who pretend to be women", remarks which drew criticism from trans rights campaigners and LGBTQ+ organisations.

The latest decision is likely to reignite debate over the limits of councillor conduct rules and whether elected representatives should face greater scrutiny for statements and social media activity that critics argue contribute to a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ residents.

Campaigners have long argued that language portraying trans people as deceptive or illegitimate can have a harmful impact on trans communities, particularly at a time when LGBTQ+ organisations have reported rising levels of abuse and discrimination.

Responding to the outcome, Tudor criticised the complaints process and suggested she had been unfairly targeted. "I'm almost disappointed not to have my day in the kangaroo court that is the council's standards committee," she said. "I would've been able to point out, once again, how using the Code of Conduct process is being used as a form of punishment in itself."