Education convener for West Dunbartonshire Council, Councillor Michelle McGinty, told the Reporter she is taking advice over what she feels is online abuse because it is ‘affecting her health’.

Cllr McGinty has quit Facebook after her daughter called her in tears over what was being said about her online.

An emotional Cllr McGinty said she was ‘being torn apart on a personal level’, not just being subjected to political criticism.

She said: “They are taking it too far with things they are saying. They are saying things like ‘She’s glaikit, she’s uneducated, she’s never worked a day in her life’.

“My daughter phoned me in tears saying ‘mum I can’t cope with this any more’.

“I feel as though I am quite a strong person but two years of personal abuse is about as much as I can take.

“The political stuff I don’t have a problem with. That is the nature of the job, which is fine. It is when it becomes personal.

“I’ve had to come off Facebook and I’ve had to go to the doctor. My heath has been affected.” She added: “It’s not a case of political stuff. They are calling you names and bringing up your education and how you speak. I can argue it all back but I shouldn’t have to.

“They obviously have no respect for the Standards Commission. I will be getting advice and seeing where we go from here.” The posts were made on West Dunbartonshire Opposition Councillors’ Facebook page by supporters.

Council leader Martin Rooney has waded into the row, accusing councillors George Black and Jim Bollan, and supporters on the opposition Facebook page of ‘constantly bullying’ Cllr McGinty.

In a lengthy online message, he wrote: “The constant bullying by some councillors and their supporters on the opposition face-book page is not acceptable behaviour in this day and age. For the past three years Councillor Bolland (sic) and Black have used their face-book page to undermine, demean, ridicule and embarrass other politicians. For the most part their followers have gone willingly along with character assassination and the overt bullying.

He added: “I take great exception to their constant bullying of Councillor Michelle McGinty. Michelle first and foremost is a mother of six children. Her main priority in life is to look after the best interest of her family – to keep them safe and help them grow and develop. It can seem a thankless job at times but day-to-day like all other mothers she has to persevere.

“Michelle isn't a natural politician. She doesn't have a big ego that needs to be fed. She doesn't have any delusions of grandeur or any great political dream that she is chasing. She’s an ordinary mum doing her best and when she was asked to stand as a councillor she had her doubts and was unsure. Others saw the potential in her and the ordinary mum from the Vale agreed to give it a go. To her surprise she was elected to represent the Leven Ward.” He continued: “She has always put the team before herself and has been willing to lead on key issues and to publicly defend her position. This has caused considerable unease to her detractors hence she has become the constant focus on personal attacks from opposition councillors and their willing and unwitting supporters.

He added: “She is financially worse off working as a councillor and she doesn't deserve to be subjected to constant character attacks from anyone. She has always been able to deal with political attacks but the personal attacks and constant bullying have worn her down to the point where she has had to remove herself from face-book on more than one occasion and her health has suffered as a result of the personal attacks and character assassination that is used to undermine her.” Cllr Black said: “I accept absolutely no suggestion that Mrs McGinty has been attacked on a personal level.” He claimed it was a fresh tactic of ‘New Labour’ to accuse individuals of bullying if they criticise them.

Cllr Bollan said: “The part time Labour council leader, Martin Rooney, is the last person I will take advice from when it comes to allegations of this nature, which are without foundation or evidence.” He added: “I suggest New Labour get their own house in order before questioning the alleged behaviour of others. If Cllr Rooney has any evidence of bullying by any councillor then he should forward the evidence to the Standards Commission and make a formal complaint.

“He either needs to put up, or shut up.”