A plea to raise standards of debate at Warwickshire County Council ironically instigated two hours of largely tawdry finger pointing that sank hearts and slumped shoulders.

A motion – signal of the council's intent – was eventually carried, committing councillors to back a "refreshed programme of member development" on conduct, social media activity and standards in public debate, including the offer of training by the end of April 2027.

An amendment to make training mandatory was batted back and forth and rejected with many believing that it should not be necessary, a discussion that crossed over with left-right grumbles and examples of police involvement and the council's complaints process being fired between political opponents.

Restore Britain group leader Cllr Luke Cooper stood to highlight irate speeches from cabinet member Cllr Mike Bannister and Cllr Sam Jones.

"It is a shame. People don't see, tone is completely subjective," he said.

"Mike was speaking passionately, Sam took it as an attack. Cllr Sarah Boad spoke passionately, Mike took it as an attack. See the problem?"

He then looked to left-leaning colleagues and alleged that being elected as a Reform UK councillor – he defected to Restore in February – had instigated threats to his family's safety.

"Within two weeks I had rape threats against my family," said Cllr Cooper.

"I had to take my address offline instantly because of people calling us nasty, horrible 1930s people.

"That keeps happening and I have yet to hear an apology. We have been alluded to many times, almost directly called it, fascists and such.

"That incites the far-left far more than you ever hear from the far-right. Yes, you've had bad things said about you. Yes, directly calling people fascists, Nazis, whatever, is a massive problem that I don't think you'll see because people talk past each other in this place."

Cllr Max Langer empathised and insisted all councillors should be looking at themselves rather than each other.

"What a fun afternoon, everyone," he said through a mix of a smile and a sigh.

"I'm not of the left, I'm not of the right. I might call myself a centrist but I don't think I'm an overly-political person. I stood for council because I thought I could do a job.

"I don't think any of these debates really serve much of that at all."

He added: "Weirdly, I agree with Councillor Cooper on this. We talk across one another.

"We look at the issue written on a piece of paper and rather than reading the words, what is meant and intended by them, all of us – across the chamber – hang other issues off them.

"Immigration has been raised in every debate today, we start talking about issues with the national government from a planning perspective or whose fault it is rather than what we are here to debate."

He continued: "We have the Nolan principles. We should be in a good position with our code of conduct, but everything I've seen today and for the past 17 months has shown that is not quite enough yet.

"We all need to take a hard look at ourselves and thinking about those people outside the chamber that we want in this room, how we make sure the (members of the) next council feels safe enough to get involved in local politics."

Conservative group leader Cllr Adrian Warwick, who had linked up with Labour counterpart Cllr Sarah Feeney to table this in an attempt to cool the temperature of council debates, concluded that "so many have missed the point" in his summing up.

"Everyone can see the motion is important but it is everyone else's fault that we've got here. No it isn't," he said.

"Councillor Cooper is right, we are all talking past each other. Councillor Langer is bang on, we all have to look to ourselves before we get up to speak, ask ourselves whether this is the right thing.

"Two MPs and a former MP have lost their lives. We've had councillors here past and present who have suffered abuse, have had police protection on their doorsteps just because of the way they have been portrayed in the media. That's not why we're here.

"I said last year that (that meeting) was the most unpleasant meeting I had ever sat through – well this beats it. We did this to be positive."

Cllr Feeney said: "What we want is to stop the demeaning of each other, we want respectful debate.

"I really don't care if you tell me my politics are wrong, what I worry about is people who are starting to be called mad, people who are othered through this chamber. It is not right.

"Nobody is being silenced, you can say what you need to say, you just don't have to say it quite as nastily."

There was a mixed vote on the amendment to make training mandatory but once that was voted down, the rest of it, including the accepted Reform UK amendment around freedom of expression while showing "respect for other elected members and the residents they represent", was carried.

Cllr Stan Carvell and the four members of Restore Britain voted against, while Cllr Jones abstained – opted against voting either way.

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