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Jackie Weaver Has 'No Regrets' About Removing Chairman From Council Meeting

Jackie Weaver Has 'No Regrets' About Removing Chairman From Council Meeting

The Handforth Parish Clerk has become an unlikely internet hero after removing several members from a Zoom council meeting that went viral.

Simon Catling

Simon Catling

Jackie Weaver, new viral star, has said she has no regrets about kicking out the council Chairman in the chaotic Handforth Parish Council meeting she was part of in December, that has since gone on to become an internet phenomenon.

Many of us have sat back and watched as a recent Zoom call between councillors descended into chaos after a disagreement between council Clerk Jackie Weaver and council Chairman Brian Tolver about who was in control of the meeting.

The escalating argument caused several members to be booted out of the call for misbehaviour and has now caused dozens of memes and thousands of comments from amused online viewers.

One clip has been viewed 3.4 million times and has more than 14,000 retweets and 87,000 likes.

Weaver was asked by ITV News if she had any regrets about kicking Tolver out of the meeting and she replied saying 'none at all'.

It was apparently the second time the Chair had been removed, having previously been evicted from the earlier 7pm Planning and Environment Committee.

ITV

Having to deal with several angry men during the course of the meeting, Weaver has emerged as the unlikely star of the event.

Speaking to ITV News, she admitted she hadn't been 'as confident as she looked'.

She said: "I'm glad I was sitting not standing, my knees were shaking. No, I didn't feel as confident as I looked but as I say I was just determined that they were going to be able to hold that meeting."

Jackie Weaver says she didn't really know who was in charge of the meeting.
Handforth Parish Council

Thankfully for Weaver, who as you'd expect seems fairly unprepared for the fame that has befallen her in light of what should have been a humdrum council meeting, she's received lots of messages of support since.

"I guess part of that, is people see on the video an elderly woman being besieged by three men, and that was very uncomfortable," she said.

"But I think it is such a shame that it overshadows so much of what goes on that's positive in Handforth.

"Anyone who knows the area knows the parish council does some sterling work there, but that is not what is going to come out on social media."

Zoom/Handforth Parish Council

Earlier, on Channel 4 News, Weaver cautioned that Parish council meetings were rarely as exciting as the December 10 event, saying: "99.99 percent of council meetings are just not like that, they are often less exciting than we might hope they were.

"Although this has a positive spin for it - most of the time I'm trying to get people to get involved in parish councils. The plus side of this is it's certainly done that.

"I have had nothing but really lovely positive support from people - who of course condemn the behaviour, no one could not condemn the behaviour.

"Who was in charge? Of that meeting, I'm not actually sure who was in charge."

One thing's for sure, Brian Tolver might think twice before trying to bully the Clerk again.

Featured Image Credit: ITV

Topics: UK News