A Labour councillor has responded with humour and defiance after screenshots of his Grindr profile were shared on social media alongside calls for him to resign.
Paul John O’Neill, who represents North Heywood, a ward within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, hit back after images and details from his profile on the gay dating app were circulated online by critics who claimed that a “public figure should be more discrete with his personal life”.
Rather than retreating from the spotlight, O’Neill addressed the incident in a Facebook post on 23 September, sharing a photograph of himself enjoying a pint of Murphy’s and joking: “Like the Murphy’s, I’m not bitter.”
The councillor said it had been brought to his attention that two individuals had created accounts on the app, located his profile and then shared screenshots of it on social media along with what he described as “rather unpleasant comments”.
However, O’Neill made clear that he had no intention of apologising for having a dating life. “I am not remotely ashamed to have a social and dating life, and it obviously affects not a jot of my work as a proud ward councillor for the brilliant people of North Heywood,” he wrote.
The openly gay councillor also took the opportunity to poke fun at the situation, adding: “And for the record, I’m single. Worst thing that can happen is I might get a date or two out of this, right?”
Continuing the light-hearted tone, O’Neill joked that he was pleased the images used were up to date. “I’m glad that my photos were recent, as I’ve lost three stone since February,” he said, noting that most of the pictures had been taken at Manchester Pride earlier this year.
Despite the attempted shaming campaign, O’Neill’s response attracted an outpouring of support from residents, activists and fellow councillors.
Councillor Tom Besford praised the handling of the situation, writing: “Great and classy response! Standing in solidarity with you in the face of a growing tide of bile.”
Others questioned why an openly gay man using a dating app should be considered newsworthy at all. One commented: “Shame people have nothing better to do with their time than to out an openly gay man. How embarrassing for them.”
O’Neill, meanwhile, appeared determined not to let the episode distract him from his duties, using the same Facebook post to remind residents about his next ward surgery at Recovery Republic on York Street on 3 October.
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