ALL sides of the council chamber came together last week to slam misinformation being spread - in particular the myths around paracetamol being linked to autism diagnoses.
Last week, American President Donald Trump said there had been a ‘meteoric’ rise in autism cases and suggested that pregnant women taking paracetamol was a potential cause.
Despite the claims, there has been no conclusive proof regarding the links - and it has been widely criticised by experts.
At last Thursday’s full council meeting, councillors from each side of the chamber spoke out against the claims - while also challenging ‘dangerous’ rhetoric spouted by other political figures such as Nigel Farage and his Reform Party.
Coun Will Fielding, who chaired a board on autism in Barnsley, spoke passionately at the meeting.
Coun Fielding said: “I spent a lot of time learning about autism and speaking with people with autism.
“I’ve been appalled this week by the announcement by the Trump administration that paracetamol as we know it can contribute to autism in children.
“President Trump, as he is, also had to include a long disproven link between autism and vaccines.
“It’s obviously damaging to hear such misinformation from senior public figures and this risks further undermining decades of research.
“It also risks stigmatising people with autism and their parents.
“When you see a British political party and its leader not only refusing to condemn this lunacy, but putting the very same scientifically illiterate nonsense on a platform, I worry we’ll have to deal with more of this here in the future.”
Coun Alex Burnett, a doctor who represents the Penistone East ward, also criticised the comments.
He said: “I’d like to add my anger and dismay at the recent comments from a variety of politicians and others who seek to spread division within our communities.
“It seeks to spread fear and pain in women in our communities.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, from a doctor, vaccines don’t cause cancer - they save lives.
“There’s no evidence paracetamol increases the chances of autism in pregnant women.
“Autism isn’t something to be demonised.
“This is populism in action.
“Pain relief to mothers, vaccines for children, anything they think that might get them a vote or two.
“I want to say this to the Barnsley public - reject them.
“Trust your doctors.
“Don’t fall for Reform’s and other populists tricks and lies.”
Coun Jo Newing called the comments misogynistic.
“We welcome neurodiversity - it gives us so many opportunities to broaden our work with people within the borough of Barnsley,” she added.
“As someone who has worked with children with ADHD and autism I’ve met some amazing kids.
“The comments that are being made, in my opinion, are misogynistic and aimed at women.
“They’re taking women down.”
Coun Mick Stowe, who represents the Hoyland Milton ward, called for a widespread rejection of the misinformation.
He added: “Unfortunately we live in a world where people actually believe this.
“Trump is wrong.
“We need to protect our Barnsley people.
“It’s nice we’ve got a united front against the evil of Trump and what he’s pedalling and what his puppet Farage is repeating.”
