A SOMERSET councillor who dropped the F bomb during a live-streamed council meeting has apologised to the public.

South Somerset District councillor Linda Vijeh was caught on camera uttering the phrase “I don’t give a f***” during a debate on Thursday evening (September 10).

The comment prompted shock from other councillors as well as a verbal reprimand.

Cllr Vijeh, who is the Conservative ward member for Neroche, has now issued a full written apology, claiming the comments were not directed at either the council or the public watching the meeting.

In a statement sent to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Vijeh admitted that she had “a mouth like a sewer” – something she claimed was widely known among her colleagues.

She said: “Like everyone else, the pandemic has meant having to come to terms with the challenges that the ‘new norm’ poses, and our increased use of technology to communicate, has meant that we all need to be more cautious about our behaviour.

“Every now and again I express my views in ways that I appreciate may cause offence to others, for which I absolutely apologise.”

The meeting at which her outburst occurred was a full council meeting discussing the future of local government in Somerset – something Ms Vijeh said she takes “very seriously indeed.”

She went on to explain that she had interrupted her holiday to join the meeting and was in the company of other people while participating.

She said: “Being away from home and having interrupted a holiday to partake in the meeting, I was forced to attend whilst in the company of others.

“Observant members noticed that at times during the meeting I was seen to be speaking to a third party. This is quite true, as I was being pestered with questions whilst trying to pay attention to the proceedings.

“Finally, exasperated by the continual interruption I responded to one question in frustration, saying ‘I don’t give a f**k’.

“It soon became apparent by the shocked faces of some of my fellow councillors, the sound had not been muted, and the comment was widely broadcast.

“This is of course unacceptable but, in my defence, I was most certainly not referring to the content of the meeting.”

Ms Vijeh said she had no desire to offend either other councillors or members of the public – but argued that other elected representatives had “behaved equally badly” during her many years as both a district and county councillor.

She said: “Over my many years as a councillor I have seen other elected members behave equally badly, showing open contempt towards the public they represent – frequently sitting in full view whilst doing crosswords and sudoku, dozing off, accessing their private text messages and emails, as well as eating and drinking.

“Anyone viewing the YouTube video of the council meeting will observe that I was fully engaged – more so, I would suggest, that some others who whilst being present in body failed to actively participate, challenge and question the important issues we were faced with.

“Yes, I have a foul mouth, but I pay my taxes on time, have never abused anyone, threatened physical violence or been accused of dodgy business deals.

“Those who are eager to throw stones need to take heed of the proverb relating to glass houses.”