Jackie Weaver did not ‘have the authority’ to eject and mute on Zoom members of Handforth Parish Council, an official report has concluded. 

Last year Ms Weaver hosted a meeting of the English council that became increasingly acrimonious and was later viewed by millions on social media. 

“This meeting has not been called according to the law - the law has been broken,” one councillor protested. 

A heated debate then ensued about the council’s procedures and the same councillor claimed:

“You have no authority there, Jackie Weaver, no authority at all!” 

Ms Weaver dramatically ejected him from the meeting and another councillor told her crossly: 

“Read the standing orders, read them and understand them!”

No authority

Now a report has concluded that Ms Weaver did not act strictly in accordance with the rules: 

“Faced with what were unusual and difficult circumstances, and the deep-seated issues underpinning those circumstances, we can understand why JW [Weaver] acted as she did, despite her action being without any formal footing in terms of appropriate process and procedure.”

In a statement Ms Weaver said: 

"We were still very vague about how virtual council meetings worked and I did not actually remove them from the meeting, in my opinion, I moved them to the waiting room.

"A little later in the meeting the remaining councillors voted to remove them.

"So I welcome the findings of the report but am deeply saddened that it took so long and cost so much to get there."

The probe investigated multiple complaints about the meeting and cost £85,000 (€100,000) - a sum Ms Weaver said left her “shocked and horrified”.

Main image: Screenshot of Handforth Parish Council's meeting with Jackie Weaver.