Council leader sorry for swear word after teen speech

25 October 2025

Martin HeathBuckinghamshire political reporter

News image — The Labour leader of Milton Keynes City Council Pete Marland has apologised for his comment

Sam Read/BBC Pete Marland with short dark hair and beard, looking at the camera and wearing a black jacket, white shirt and dark tie. He is standing in front of trees and a road which passes a modern office building.. — The Labour leader of Milton Keynes City Council Pete Marland has apologised for his comment

A council leader has apologised for swearing after a teenager spoke during a meeting.

Pete Marland, the Labour leader of Milton Keynes City Council, made the comment after 16-year-old Hayden addressed councillors as a member of the public.

Marland apologised later in the meeting, in which possible fire service cuts were discussed, and said the comment was "not directed at anyone" in particular.

Hayden has called on him to consider resigning.

Warning: Offensive language below

Hayden Hayden with short dark hair looking at the camera while wearing a black jacket, blue shirt and grey tie. He is standing in front of a brick wall on which there is a notice with the council crest and "Full Council - 7.30pm" in black lettering. There is a wooden door to the right with a large blue and white sticker indicating that the door is automatic and there is a hearing loop installed. — Hayden, 16, spoke at a Milton Keynes City Council meeting about possible cuts to the fire service

The teenager had gone to this week's full council meeting to speak about why he was against possible cuts to the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire and Rescue Service.

At the end of the speech, he heard Marland say the f-word.

He said: "I found it really upsetting, really disrespectful and it just so annoyed me, and yesterday, while I was at school, I felt distracted from my work [because] I had all of it playing on my mind."

Another councillor drew attention to the words Marland had used, and the leader apologised later in the meeting.

Amy Holmes/BBC Shazna Muzammil with long dark hair wearing a brown, grey and red patterned jacket and a white top. She is standing in a car park with tall buildings in the background. — Conservative group leader Shazna Muzammil has made a formal complaint

In a statement, he said: "At the end of a speech from a member of the public I did make a remark, off-microphone, that some people in the chamber did hear.

"I immediately took responsibility for the comment and quickly apologised to the council and to the member of the public as the words were not appropriate for a public meeting, and I am sorry.

"However, I want to make clear that the remark was not directed at anyone and to claim so is untrue."

Hayden said: "When he apologised, I felt it was half-hearted.

"He maybe needs to resign because it's unacceptable."

Conservative group leader Shazna Muzammil said she had made a formal complaint to the council, describing Marland's behaviour as "an embarrassment to the council and this city".

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