Published: Thursday, 16th July, 2009 10:00pm

Twittergate - political spat over swear word blog

by Alex Gore

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A POLITICAL spat has erupted in West Berkshire after a Tory councillor used his internet blog to accuse an opposition member of talking b**locks.

Executive member David Betts made the comment about Theale councillor Alan Macro on popular blogging website Twitter after hearing him talking on the radio about the district"s planning strategy, the Local Development Framework.

Cllr Betts said: "Woke up to Alan Macro talking b**locks on 107FM.

"Failed to point out we are consulting on housing in Theale, or that it is Government imposed."

When the Chronicle asked Cllr Macro about the blog, he said: "I think it is a completely unnecessary use of bad language.

"As councillors we are supposed to show each other respect but this was the exact opposite."

Cllr Macro's Lib Dem colleague, Jeff Brooks, said it was an unacceptable way for a councillor to express themselves and added: "That is just not on."

When asked about his comment today, Cllr Betts said: "Twitter is an instant medium.

"It is what you are thinking at that moment. It is there for a few minutes then forgotten about.

"I woke up and heard Alan Macro talking on 107fm and thought he was misrepresenting the council's position

"It is not a word I would have used in the council chamber, it may be a word I would use in the pub."

Cllr Betts said that he 'immediately' sent a message to Cllr Macro, who is also a member of the website, to say sorry if he had been offended.

He added: "But I also said you have to accept a bit of knocking about on Twitter. He has not acknowledged my apology."

Just days after making the comment, Cllr Betts said on Twitter that he had sent Cllr Macro a message but not got a response and added: "Either he's not speaking to me or he hasn't got the hang of Twitter yet."

Three minutes later he said: "Sorry if I offended you, but you need a thicker skin on social media."

Cllr Brooks tried to raise the issue in a meeting of the executive this evening after Cllr Betts presented a report on the council's three-year ICT strategy.

In the report"s introduction Cllr Betts said: "Two years ago how many of us had heard of Facebook? A year ago how many of us had heard of Twitter?"