A TWITTER row has broken out after a Hull City councillor tweeted he would "punch a Lib Dem in the face" if he reached 500 followers. Labour councillor Chris Sumpton claims the tweet was only meant as a joke but his Liberal Democrat colleagues are furious and are considering taking the matter further.
The issue was raised at yesterday's full council meeting when an angry Councillor Eliza Mann asked council leader Stephen Brady to condemn the tweet.
But the leader said he couldn't comment because he wasn't in possession of the full facts and wasn't familiar with the social networking site.
Afterwards, Cllr Mann said: "It was a really nasty thing to find.
"We don't believe he was really going to punch any of us but it's the implication.
"I think the tweet was beyond naivety. "It's bad enough he tweeted it but he did it in a public setting as a councillor.
"It's 2013 and everyone should know how to use social media and be aware of its pitfalls."
Cllr Mann is seeking advice on whether to take the matter further on behalf of the Lib Dem group.
She said: "We are deciding what to do next.
"I have been waiting to see what the Labour group does but there is every chance we will take this further.
"It is insulting to every Lib Dem member in the city."
Cllr Sumpton, who recently fought in a charity boxing match at the KC Stadium to raise funds for children's charities, maintains the tweet was meant in jest.
He said: "This was clearly a joke and was never intended to cause any offence.
"I am now at 500 followers and no Lib Dem has been punched nor will they be. There was never any intention to do so. The thought that anybody could take this seriously shocks me."
He also criticised the Lib Dems for making so much of the tweet.
He said: "I am surprised at how much energy the Liberal Democrats have put into this matter.
"I would much prefer their energies go into stopping their party imposing savage cuts of £48m on the people of Hull.
"I will take care with all future social media postings, particularly those that may contain humour."
During the meeting at the council, Cllr Brady said: "I do not know anything about this form of communication but putting instant thought up is bad practice in my opinion."
Following Cllr Sumpton's explanation, deputy council leader Daren Hale insists the matter is now closed as far as the Labour group is concerned.
He said: "It was a light-hearted comment that has been taken out of context but he accepts he needs to be more careful in the future. We have looked into the matter and we think the action taken is satisfactory."
The row comes after former Lib Dem city councillor Andrew Sloan was fined £500 after pleading guilty to punching a police officer in the face.
Andrew Sloan was the portfolio holder for economic regeneration in the Liberal Democrat administration that took control of the council from Labour in 2006.
Currently Guernsey's chief economist, he was arrested last week after assaulting the police officer at the British-Irish Council summit in Jersey.
As well as being fined, Sloan, 44, was also sentenced to 70 hours of community service by Jersey Magistrates' Court.
Cllr Hale said: "We find it quite ironic that the Lib Dem members are so upset when one of its former members actually did punch someone, and a police officer no less."
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