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Lib Dems, Labour and Tories unite to demand Green former East Herts Council chair Martin Butcher quits as a councillor too over Israel comments




The former chair of East Herts Council Martin Butcher says he is “truly sorry” for any offence caused by his social media comments on Israel.

The Green Party member, who was elected to serve Ware St Mary's ward in May, stepped down as the authority’s community figurehead in the wake of fierce criticism from Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative members of the council and Hertford and Stortford’s Tory MP Julie Marson.

The council’s monitoring officer is investigating his conduct following a formal complaint by Mrs Marson about comments Cllr Butcher made on X, formerly Twitter.

Hertford and Stortford MP Julie Marson
Hertford and Stortford MP Julie Marson

She said: “Cllr Butcher appears to promote and approve of Hamas’ actions (reposting a description that Hamas’ murderous rampage was ‘a bit wild’) while attempting to draw an equivalence with Israel and even attacking Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy for condemning the terrorism.”

East Herts’ five Labour councillors – Bishop’s Stortford’s Cllrs Yvonne Estop, David Jacobs and Dave Willcocks and their Hertford Sele colleagues Nahum Clements and Carolyn Redfern – went further, saying: “These comments do not appear in a vacuum. Cllr Butcher has consistently used his social media accounts to criticise Israel and justify attacks on its citizens.”

They cited a string of examples including a response to the murder of three English women from the same family – Lucy Dee and her daughters Maia, 20, and Rina, 15 – in the West Bank in April. Cllr Butcher tweeted: “Sadly, if you commit a war crime to live illegally in someone else’s occupied land, then this sort of thing happens… these women had no need nor right to be where they were.”

Green Party Cllr Martin Butcher, the chair of East Herts Council, is under fire from Labour Cllrs David Jacobs, Yvonne Estop, Dave Willcocks, Carolyn Redfern and Nahun Clements
Green Party Cllr Martin Butcher, the chair of East Herts Council, is under fire from Labour Cllrs David Jacobs, Yvonne Estop, Dave Willcocks, Carolyn Redfern and Nahun Clements

Cllr Butcher works for the charity Oxfam as a policy advisor on conflict, international humanitarian law and arms.

When he resigned, he accused Labour of using the conflict for political capital and said: “My role in the emergency humanitarian response to the appalling tragedy unfolding in Gaza leaves me no time at all for the chair’s role at present and for the foreseeable future.”

This week he added: “I absolutely condemn the war crimes committed by Hamas and I absolutely condemn collective punishment against civilians in Gaza.

“I have made some posts about the Middle East and I am truly sorry for any offence that they may have caused. I apologise sincerely.

The X posts by Cllr Martin Butcher at the heart of MP Julie Marson's complaints
The X posts by Cllr Martin Butcher at the heart of MP Julie Marson's complaints

On Friday October 13, I resigned from my position as chair of East Herts Council after discussions with the East Herts Green Party.

“I have spent my career promoting peace and the universal application of international humanitarian law and helping to protect those who have the least voice in times of conflict.

“My comments came from a place of concern for the many millions of innocent ordinary people who are trying to live their lives in peace in the Middle East and who are impacted by the latest escalation in the cycle of violence."

Cllr Martin Butcher carrying out civic duties at Southern Country Park in Bishop’s Stortford
Cllr Martin Butcher carrying out civic duties at Southern Country Park in Bishop’s Stortford

His council critics want him to go further and have called for him to resign as a councillor too. He is also a Ware town council member and deputy mayor of that town.

The Labour group said: “[We] welcome Cllr Butcher's resignation as chair of East Herts Council. This is clearly the right decision. We believe the reasons for his being unsuited to serve as EHC chair are the same reasons for his being unsuited to serve as a councillor. We await the monitoring officer’s view on this issue.

“We are disappointed that Cllr Butcher has not seen fit to apologise for his abhorrent comments and that the leadership of the Green Party on EHC have not publicly disassociated themselves from these views.

“The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deteriorate and the hostages remain in captivity. At this time we should all be united in our opposition to terrorism and our support for peace.”

East Herts Council chair, Green Cllr Martin Butcher, with vice-chair, Lib Dem Cllr Calvin Horner after their election in May. Cllr Horner is now set to replace Cllr Butcher
East Herts Council chair, Green Cllr Martin Butcher, with vice-chair, Lib Dem Cllr Calvin Horner after their election in May. Cllr Horner is now set to replace Cllr Butcher

The Liberal Democrats, the Green’s junior partner in a power-sharing administration for the district, also welcomed his resignation.

A statement said: “His conduct has been way below the standards of behaviour which are expected of civic dignitaries at East Herts.

“He failed initially to condemn the horrific acts of terrorism carried out against innocent civilians. Acts which were appalling and unspeakable.

“Then, after some prompting, he did acknowledge that the targeting of civilians was unacceptable. This was a belated and inadequate response.

“In the light of further information which has now become available, we feel that Cllr Butcher should also consider his positions as an East Herts district councillor and a Ware town councillor.”

The Conservatives said: “Cllr Butcher’s conduct in the face of the shocking atrocities by Hamas has been a disgrace and not in keeping with the standards of East Herts Council.

“Hamas have slaughtered hundreds of innocent people and taken scores of men, women, children and the elderly to be used as human shields. They have decapitated and mutilated some of their victims. This is outright terrorism which should be condemned in the strongest terms. Cllr Butcher has however conspicuously failed to do so, which is totally unacceptable.”

The Tory group said that had Cllr Butcher not resigned, it would have joined with Labour in a demand for him to go at Wednesday’s (October 18) meeting of the full council.

The statement said: “He should now go further and consider his position as a councillor both on the district and Ware town councils. His position is untenable.”

East Herts’ leader, Green Cllr Ben Crystall, said after his colleague’s resignation: “I would like to thank Martin for his service to date. Over the past six months, Martin has supported the council in fulfilling its civic duties and championed various local initiatives.

“However, it has become clear that he wishes to ensure that recent events do not distract from the pressing local matters we are confronting here in East Herts, and I respect his decision to stand down.”

The council statement said that Cllr Butcher would continue as a councillor.

At Wednesday’s meeting, he is set to be replaced as chair by current deputy, Cllr Calvin Horner, the Lib Dem member for Bishop's Stortford Parsonage. His successor has been named as Cllr Maura Connolly, a Green member for Hertford Kingsmead ward.

Cllr Maura Connolly is expected to become East Herts Council's new vice-chair
Cllr Maura Connolly is expected to become East Herts Council's new vice-chair

Cllr Crystall said: “Cllrs Horner and Connolly will be a great asset to this council as chair and vice chair.

“Cllr Horner has worked hard as a vice chair since the election in May, also acting as vice chair of the overview and scrutiny committee.

“Cllr Connolly is similarly an incredibly hard-working councillor, chairing the licensing committee. She also volunteers in the local community as a magistrate and helping those in need at The Hertford Pantry.”



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