At Burnley Borough Council’s full meeting on 15 July 2026, councillors debated a motion on the situation in Kashmir, brought by Independent councillor Sehrish Lone. The Reform group voted against. Cllr Gavin Theaker, the group’s deputy leader, set out the case in the chamber. His speech is above, and the main points are below.
Cllr Theaker’s argument was about what a borough council is for. “Burnley Council exists to serve the people of the borough of Burnley, not involve itself in international disputes,” he said. Residents, he argued, elected councillors to fix local issues, improve public services, spend taxpayers’ money responsibly and hold the administration to account. “They did not elect us to debate foreign policy.”
On the limits of the council’s power, he said foreign policy is decided by Parliament, not borough councils, and that the motion asked Burnley to take a position on one of the world’s most complex and disputed conflicts, something neither its responsibility nor within its power to resolve. “If we start passing motions on Kashmir, where do we stop?” he asked, noting there are conflicts all over the world.
He also warned against importing overseas conflicts into local politics, saying the council’s duty is to represent every resident equally and to strengthen the town, not to risk division over issues it cannot influence. “Compassion does not require this council to engage in political grandstanding.” The focus, he said, should be cleaner streets, safer neighbourhoods, better housing and stronger local businesses, because symbolic motions do not change events overseas.
The motion was carried with the support of a majority of councillors. Reform UK, Restore Britain and the Conservatives voted against. You can read the full debate in our main report, and watch Cllr Liam Thomson and Cllr Chris Weekes make the same case.