Fareham councillor hits back after bullying allegations amid 'extremely toxic' atmosphere

The leader of the opposition, Cllr David Hamilton (Lib Dem), faced accusations from former Liberal Democrat Cllr Lisa Whittle during the full council meeting on February 20.

The comments followed a motion calling on Cllr Whittle to resign and trigger a by-election after her defection to the party in December 2024.

Speaking during the meeting, Cllr Hamilton rejected the claims. Afterwards, he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the allegations of “bullying, intimidation or harassment” were “simply not true.”

He said: “When an elected representative changes party mid-term, it is reasonable to ask whether voters should have the opportunity to give a fresh mandate.

“The mayor confirmed at the outset that the motion was procedurally and legally in order.

“In order for such a motion to make sense, the councillor concerned has to be identified.

“My speech focused on that principle and was not personal in nature.”

At the start of the meeting, the mayor reminded councillors to keep debate respectful and avoid personal criticism. Cllr Whittle was later warned as her remarks about personal conduct began to contravene the mayor’s guidance.

During her speech, Cllr Whittle referenced a Liberal Democrat meeting she described as “extremely toxic,” claiming that Cllr Hamilton “became angry and verbally aggressive, name-calling and swearing”.

“The meeting was hugely distressing. When I got home, I was incredibly upset”, she told the full council.

Following that meeting, Cllr Whittle “crossed the floor” as she felt “pushed by a man who intimidated and undermined” her at “every opportunity”.

She said she subsequently informed her former party by email of her intention to leave.

Cllr Hamilton, however, disputed the comments. He said the meeting lasted around 90 minutes, with breaks, and concluded normally.

“Cllr Whittle was not the subject of that discussion, and I barely addressed her directly, if at all”.

He also pointed out that Cllr Whittle remained in the Liberal Democrat group for around a month after the meeting she cited, and her husband, Councillor Paul Whittle, stayed for a further three months.

“No complaint was made to the council. No complaint was made to the party. No safeguarding concern was raised. Yet in the chamber, Councillor Whittle said she felt she had no choice but to resign. Those statements are difficult to reconcile,” he said.

Cllr Hamilton described how the debate escalated into personal accusations.

He said: “What in the debate moved far beyond those initial events. It became a series of personal statements about being undermined, humiliated and distressed.

“Those are serious claims, but they were raised publicly for the first time in the middle of a political debate, not through any formal process.”

He criticised the tone of the chamber, and said: “What happened in the chamber was deeply unpleasant.

“One after another, Conservative members stood up and repeated personal allegations. There was applause to those attacks.

“Several councillors — including the only Labour Councillor — challenged how personal and inappropriate the debate had become.

“It went from nasty to, at times, frankly bizarre.”

Cllr Hamilton described the experience as “horrible, cruel, and entirely political.”

“Being labelled a bully while being subjected to sustained personal attacks by a large majority in the room was a horrible experience. It was cruel, it was nasty, and it was entirely political.”

He emphasised the importance of proper procedures: “I take conduct seriously. If councillor Whittle has a genuine concern, I would encourage her to make a formal complaint so it can be considered fairly.”

Cllr Hamilton concluded that the motion was about a “democratic principle” but the debate became personal.

“I have responded to the allegations and am now focusing on residents and services.

“I am not pursuing legal action at this time but reserve my position regarding public statements.”