Lewes councillor calls constituent 'an idiot' on Twitter

A Conservative councillor has apologised after calling one of her constituents "an idiot" on Twitter.

Donna Edmunds from Lewes District Council, Sussex, referred to Jim Cornelius as "the village idiot".

She previously told him to "pay your taxes to die of cancer if that's what you want" in a discussion on the NHS.

Ms Edmunds said: "I absolutely apologise unreservedly and whole heartedly to anyone who was offended by those comments."

In the online discussion with Mr Cornelius on 18 August, Ms Edmunds wrote: "Pay taxes for a crappy service if that's what you want to do."

She then wrote to Mr Cornelius: "You're an idiot. Pay your taxes to die of cancer if that's what you want to do."

The Twitter conversation carried on the following day when Ms Edmunds wrote to Mr Cornelius: "You've just confirmed your status as Village Idiot. Congrats."

Ms Edmunds said: "The statement about cancer has been slightly misconstrued. My point, and I made it very badly, was that cancer outcomes could be better in this country, especially for the levels of taxes we pay.

"Of course I absolutely apologise unreservedly and whole heartedly to anyone who was offended by those comments, either cancer sufferers or NHS staff."

Mr Cornelius said that he did not want to take the matter any further.

Lewes District Council leader Tony Nicholson said he was happy that Ms Edmunds had apologised.

He said no action would be taken.