by PHIL HARRISON
A COMMUNITY radio station has been cleared of causing offence to a top Essex fire chief after playing 1970s hit "Gordon is a moron" during a live debate on fire cuts.
Billericay and Brentwood radio station Phoenix FM got in hot water after playing the Jilted John classic during a live debate on ‘Soapbox with Chris Hossack’ last July.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Gordon Hunter had been due to appear on the show but pulled out at short notice.
Brentwood councillor Russell Quirk - a staunch critic of £10million cuts at the fire service that have seen full-time crews scrapped at stations in Brentwood and Canvey - requested the song during the debate saying he "wanted to have a swipe at someone".
The show prompted an immediate complaint from Essex Chief Fire Officer David Johnson who felt the song suggested his colleague was a moron.
On Monday, radio watchdog Ofcom rejected the complaint and acknowledged Phoenix FM’s explanation that the song had instead been requested by the Conservative councillor as a light-hearted jab at former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
When asked if he felt Mr Hunter was a moron, Cllr Quirk replied: "I never suggested that as I have never met the man. It was unfortunate he pulled out at the last minute as I was looking forward to a fair and honest debate on what is an extremely important topic for the people of Brentwood.”
However, the Ofcom ruling did uphold a complaint arguing that references made to Mr Johnson’s private life and matrimonial circumstances within the debate on fire cuts did amount to an "unwarranted infringement of Mr Johnson’s privacy".
Cllr Quirk defended his comments saying: “Surely if Mr Johnson is so concerned about people breaching his privacy, he would not submit a complaint that he knew would include transcripts of what was said on the show and would be published to thousands more than originally heard the show?
“Mr Johnson clearly has a personal vendetta against me for the financial mismanagement I have uncovered at Essex Fire and Rescue Service. I do not regret what I said in the context of the debate as I have a right to freedom of speech and a right to probe the actions of a public body that is funded by the taxpayer.”
A spokeswoman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said: “In making offensive and wholly inaccurate comments about the personal life of a senior public executive, Mr Quirk did nothing but to lower the status of his office as councillor, causing upset and offence.
“On the whole we are delighted that CFO Johnson has been vindicated in relation to his complaints and hope that in future Cllr Quirk will act in a manner that befits an elected, representative of the community.”