A LONG-SERVING councillor is set to stand down after receiving death threats against him and his dog.
Richard Udall, the self-styled ‘Voice of St John’s’, has faced abuse including his face superimposed on a picture of an American lynching and threats to feed his dog Murphy poisoned bacon.
He said he will not stand in another council election after more than three decades of public service.
He said the level of abuse is the worst he’s known and is part of the reason he won’t stand for election again.
SAUCE: Cllr Udall with a bottle of Worcestershire Sauce (Image: Newsquest)
Worcestershire residents will go to the polls in 2027 to elect the councillors who will be charged with setting up either a single unitary council for Worcestershire, or two unitary authorities, for the north and south of the county.
These new councils will take over from Worcestershire County Council and the existing six district councils in 2028.
For Cllr Udall, that means time on both the county council and Worcester City Council will end in two years’ time.
FUN: Cllr Udall is known for leading conga lines at events in St John’s (Image: Richard Udall)
In Thursday’s meeting, he said: “I’ve been a councillor in Worcestershire for 35 years – 30 years as a county councillor.
“The period we’re in at the moment is the worst I’ve known for abuse and personal nastiness.
“Last September, I received a Facebook Messenger post, which said ‘Consider yourself lucky it’s only flags we’re hanging from lampposts, not you’ with a picture of my face superimposed on a 1960s American lynching.
“Only a couple of weeks ago I had a threat, and I won’t say the full wording, which included a threat to kill my dog, with a threat to put poisonous bacon through my letterbox.
“We all enter politics to serve. The opportunity to serve is all that we really ask.
“I’m coming to the end of my time as a councillor. I will not be standing again next year, and the hate, the nastiness and petty hostility which members receive is part of the reason I’ve decided to stand down.
“I hope the next generation of councillors can serve without fear and without abuse.”
City council leader Lynn Denham said: “Richard Udall has been the Voice of St John’s for what feels like generations.
“He is always grounded in his local connections, speaks up for his residents and the special place that is the village of St John’s.
“It’s almost impossible to believe he may not be standing for re-election.
“He’s sort-of mentioned in the past that he may not stand again, and then he has. So we will try to persuade him he has a place in setting up the future of local government in Worcestershire.
“Richard has lived and breathed the co-operative principles throughout his life – we need those values in local politics.”
Greens ‘in shock’ as suspension of Tory leader threatens new administration
How does deputy leader’s suspension affect Worcestershire council?
Council deputy leader suspended by Conservatives just hours into new role
Cllr Jabba Riaz, speaking in Thursday’s council meeting, said Local Government Association figures show 72 percent of councillors have received abuse or intimidation in the past 12 months.
“I myself and my colleague have been subject to death threats, racism and petty name-calling,” he said.
“Officers, too, have been subjected to hostility. This is not normal and it must never become normal.”
