Lib Dem councillor says school careers advisors should be allowed to suggest prostitution as a career

A Lib Dem councillor has resigned after comparing prostitution to accountancy and saying that careers advisors should be allowed to suggest it as a career.

Cllr Dennis Parsons, chairman of Cheltenham Lib Dems, gave a speech at a Lib Dem party conference on the stigma of sex workers. He went from calling for the legalisation of prostitution - something recommended by a committee of MPs in July - to asking why careers advisors be able to suggest prostitution as a career choice for children.

Lib Dem leader, Tim Farron, said that he's not going to slap down Cllr Parsons because when you want people to "explore ideas" then they have to say things that are "quite shocking". We'll bear that in mind next time someone from UKIP says something "quite shocking" to "explore ideas".

Tory councillor: When rape is inevitable, lie back and enjoy it

A Tory councillor on Cheltenham Borough Council has compared developers dictating how much affordable housing they're willing to build to being raped.

In a debate about plans to build 30k houses in Gloucestershire, 77 year old Cllr Barbara Driver said "There is a saying and I am going to say it: When rape is inevitable, lie back and enjoy it".

Three official complaints have been made about Cllr Driver and the council have launched an official investigation. Cllr Driver has apologised but refuses to resign.