A gay UK Labour councillor in Greater Manchester has pushed back after screenshots from his Grindr profile were shared online alongside criticism of his private life and calls for him to resign.
Paul John O’Neill, who represents North Heywood on Rochdale Council, responded publicly after learning that people had created accounts on the gay dating app, found his profile and circulated screenshots on social media.
Rather than apologise, O’Neill made clear that being a councillor does not mean giving up the right to a private dating life.
“I am not remotely ashamed to have a social and dating life, and it obviously affects not a jot of my work as a proud ward councillor for the brilliant people of North Heywood,” he wrote.
‘Worst Thing That Can Happen Is I Might Get A Date’
O’Neill addressed the situation on Facebook on 23 September, posting a photograph of himself enjoying a pint of Murphy’s and referencing the old slogan: “Like the Murphy’s, I’m not bitter.”
He said two people had joined Grindr, searched for his account and shared screenshots with what he described as “rather unpleasant comments”.
Some of the posts circulating the images suggested that a public figure should be more discreet about his personal life, while another referred to him being “out”.
O’Neill is already openly gay.
“And for the record, I’m single,” he wrote.
“Worst thing that can happen is I might get a date or two out of this, right?”
He also joked that at least the photographs being circulated were recent, noting that he had lost three stone since February.
Dating Life Has ‘Not A Jot’ To Do With Council Work
O’Neill was elected to represent North Heywood in 2024 and sits on Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council as a Labour and Co-operative councillor.
He currently chairs the council’s Audit and Governance Committee.
In his response, O’Neill rejected the suggestion that having a Grindr profile was relevant to his public duties.
He even used the attention to promote his next ward surgery, reminding constituents where and when they could speak to him about local issues.
That distinction sits at the centre of the story.
There has been no allegation that O’Neill broke council rules or engaged in misconduct through his use of the dating app.
The controversy arose because details of his consensual private dating life were taken from Grindr and placed into a political context online.
Fellow Councillors Show Support
O’Neill’s response attracted support from fellow councillors and members of the public.
Councillor Tom Besford praised what he described as a “great and classy response”, while other commenters questioned why the dating profile of an openly gay single man should be treated as grounds for political controversy.
For LGBTQ+ people, the episode also raises familiar questions about privacy and the way queer sexuality can still be treated differently when public figures are involved.
Dating apps are a normal part of modern relationships and hook-up culture for people of all sexualities.
Using one does not in itself say anything about someone’s ability to perform a public job.
When Private Lives Become Political Material
Politicians and elected officials can legitimately face scrutiny when private conduct intersects with public responsibilities, conflicts of interest, legality or professional standards.
But in O’Neill’s case, the material circulated appears to relate primarily to the fact that a single, openly gay councillor maintains a Grindr profile.
O’Neill’s response was to refuse the premise that this required an apology.
He says he remains focused on his council work and does not view having a dating life as incompatible with serving his constituents.
And judging by his reaction, anyone hoping to embarrass him may have achieved something rather different.
They gave his Grindr profile considerably more publicity.
