Councillor Kathryn Kelloway suspended after wanting Cardiff's homeless tents 'torn down'

She was branded 'disgraceful' and 'inhumane' over her comments

A councillor who called for tents where homeless people in Cardiff are sleeping to be “torn down” has been suspended from the city's Conservative group.

Cyncoed councillor Kathryn Kelloway has been suspended from Cardiff's Conservative Group hours after urging council leader Huw Thomas to take action over tents on Queen Street.

On Friday, the councillor was branded "disgraceful" and "inhumane" over the controversial comments she posted on Twitter on Thursday.

The tweet, which has received more than 1,400 replies, said: "Cllr Thomas, if you seek safety in our city centre, if you seek prosperity for local businesses, if you seek a better image for Cardiff. Cllr Thomas come to Queen Street.

“Cllr Thomas, tear down these tents.”

The council's Conservative group had distanced itself from Councillor Kelloway saying her views "in no way reflect the views of the Welsh Conservatives".

Now Cllr Kelloway has been suspended from the group.

Writing on Twitter on Friday evening, Conservative councillor Jayne Cowan said: "In light of recent comments on social media, Cllr Kathryn Kelloway has been suspended from Cardiff's Conservative Group. No further comments will be made at this time."

She said the suspension had been made pending an investigation.

The decision also comes after Cllr Kelloway attacked Twitter critics in a further statement by describing them as "virtue signallers" who don't represent public opinion.

She said: "I have long wanted to raise awareness that there are enough spaces in Cardiff’s hostels, where homeless people receive fantastic support from the council and partnered charities. I have many times asked the council executive to do more to make the public aware of this and dispel the myth that rough sleepers have nowhere to go. I’m glad that my tweet has gone some way to achieving this.

“The most important thing is that homeless people are in warm, safe accommodation where they can receive support, rather than on the street where they are at risk. A permissive attitude to tents will not help toward this goal.

"Twitter is not representative of the public. It is disproportionately used by political activists who are happy to misrepresent the views of others in order to signal their virtue and justify their hatred of opponents."

Video: Homeless man talks about living on the streets

Responding to Cllr Kelloway, Cardiff council's Labour leader Huw Thomas described her comments as "awfully judged".

He said: "An awfully judged tweet.

"Of course no one wants tents in our city centre, but we have to act sensitively, and support people into accommodation with help for their underlying needs. Small wonder homelessness is soaring under this Tory Gov, if 'tearing down tents' is their mindset."

Former Welsh rugby international Gareth Thomas told Cllr Kelloway "You make me sick. I have friends who live in tents there and the circumstances that brought them there and keeping them there are terrible."