He has rejected claims he has been avoiding meetings after revealing a death threat

A Doncaster drag queen and LGBTQ+ activist elected as a councilor on the other side of the Pennines has rejected claims he has been avoiding council meetings, saying his duties have been impacted by an online death threat.

Michael Felse, who originally hails from Rossington, was elected as Barton and Winton ward representative on Salford City Council for Reform UK in a by-election earlier this year.

Coun Felse reported a Facebook comment – which included a an image of a noose and the caption ‘we’re coming for you’ – to police in April.

Greater Manchester Police are understood to be investigating the post.

Coun Felse told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The police and council safeguarding have taken it very seriously. I’ve been advised not to advertise my whereabouts; not to hold open surgeries for my ward members; or to walk around my ward on my own.

“It’s all been very stressful for me as I suffer from clinical PTSD. The stress and anxiety interferes with my ability to carry out my duties as a councillor. I’d like to be able to send out my details so people can contact me, but I’m not supposed to do that while I’m in a protected state.”

Coun Felse said he has been left ‘looking over his shoulder’, but is carrying out his duties as a councillor and committee member the best he can.

An Eccles Labour Facebook page has criticised Coun Felse for not attending meetings. He denied the claims, sharing the council’s attendance log, which shows he has missed no meetings since his induction, three weeks after he was elected at the Barton and Winton by-election on April 22.

“I have attended every meeting I’m supposed to be in,” he added. “The suggestion otherwise is hurtful.”

A Salford council spokesperson said: “Councillor Michael Felse has received a threat via social media, which has been reported to Greater Manchester Police and is currently being investigated.

“The council takes the safety and wellbeing of all elected members and staff extremely seriously and have undertaken a risk assessment to review the circumstances and identify appropriate risk and precautionary arrangements. The wellbeing and safety of all councillors and employees is a key priority for the council and to ensure that people are supported and able to carry out their roles safely.

“As this is an ongoing police matter, it is not appropriate to comment further on the investigation.”

Mr Felse previously stood to become mayor of Doncaster and recently launched a ‘butch’ Captain England alter-ego to promote Pride events.

He stood as an independent candidate at the 2009 Doncaster mayoral election and was chosen to lead the 2011 Manchester Pride festival as his alter ego drag queen Ethol Mary, who he described as "more like a Grimsby docker than Lady Gaga."

Mr Felse said readers of LGBTQ+ news website PinkNews had criticised him after revealing he had joined Reform UK.

He said: “Hundreds of online lefties on Pink News attacked my honest opinion instead of facing up to the facts of left wing councils’ woke projects that waste millions.

"All councils should stop funding Pride events that bring little value to social inclusion and instead get on with the bread and butter council duties,” he said.

Since joining Reform, he has called on Mr Farage to make Doncaster Reform’s northern headquarters and has previously called on him to stand as an MP in Doncaster and to make it “the capital of Brexit.”

Although he was brought up and lived in Rossington, Mr Felse later moved to Manchester, working on community projects for the gay, lesbian and bisexual community.