Two local Santas have been given the ‘sack’ for expressing right-wing political views.
Paul Cleary, 70, of Wath upon Dearne in South Yorkshire, volunteers as Father Christmas for a local charity each year, offering visits to families and attending the lights switch-on with the Lord Mayor.
However, this year he has been left distraught after being told the group is dispensing with his services due to his anti-Labour social media posts, as well as being advised not to use the money he raises as Santa to donate to the local food bank.
The offending post was a clip of Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer from the classic sitcom Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, but in front of Number 10 with the I and O of the word ‘idiot’ replacing the numbers 1 and 0.
Meanwhile in Blackpool, a grandfather – who participated in a 40-day hunger strike over the summer to protest against illegal immigration – says he too has been ousted as Santa for his views.
Reform voter Paul Durant, 78, but says his political beliefs are totally unrelated to his role as Father Christmas at the local Santa’s grotto.
For the past three years, he has played the role of Father Christmas at the grotto arranged by the community group Friends of Stanley Park.
In 2023, Mr Cleary raised £170 in cash for the Wath-upon-Dearne Community Partnership, alongside multiple bags of food.
He said he was ‘gutted’ after receiving a letter from the group saying his social media posts about ‘Labour cancelling Christmas’ had ‘upset the board members and volunteers’ since many of them were Labour members.
As a result, he was told that it was no longer ‘appropriate’ for him to take on the role of Father Christmas.
The charity even told him that they were ‘comfortable’ and didn’t need his donations – despite advertising the very same day in the local church mag calling for help.
In a letter from Wath Upon Dearne Community Partnership, he was told: ‘The posts in questions about “Labour cancelling Christmas” have upset the board members and volunteers and are deemed inappropriate.
‘As you’re aware a lot of time and effort is put into organising the Wath Christmas Festival which is done by a small group of dedicated volunteers-most of them being part of the Labour Party.
‘With this in mind, they don’t feel it is appropriate that you fulfil the role of Santa and I wanted to inform you we will be exploring other options.’
He was also advised not to donate food to the Montgomery Hall Food Bank, which he previously funded with money he’d raised as Santa.
The letter continued: ‘Montgomery Hall foodbank is in a comfortable position and doesn’t require any further financial donations at this time.
‘Therefore, I suggest you share any charitable donations through your work as Santa with any local organisations who may require the help more than Montgomery Hall
‘Once again thank you for your support and I hope you understand why these business decisions have been made by the Partnership and Montgomery Hall board.’
Speaking to GB news, Mr Cleary said he’d been accused of ‘sending racist and derogatory posts about the Labour government’, although this wording did not appear in the letter.
‘It knocked me for six. It made me feel violated,’ he said.
‘For me, it is disgusting. We have a local church magazine delivered, and the magazine had been delivered on the same day as the letter and I had not seen it.
‘There’s a message in there from Montgomery Hall Food Bank asking for Christmas donations, as they are badly in need of donations.’
Devastated by the dismissal, he cancelled all scheduled Santa visits because he was ‘gutted’ by the decision.
He now plans to support an alternative charity in the future and says he has no plans to hang up his red suit any time soon, insisting that the row will not spoil Christmas for him.
Meanwhile in Blackpool, a grandfather who participated in a hunger strike over illegal immigration says he has been sacked as Santa for his views.
Paul Durant, 78, spent 40 days on hunger strike over the summer.
Speaking to the Blackpool Gazette, Paul said: “I’ve been told they don’t want me to be involved in that any more.
‘To be honest, I’m very unhappy with that decision. I was told over the telephone last week.
‘I am concerned about the future of our country.’
‘I tried to make a stand and get my message across.
‘That has got nothing to do with my role at Santa’s grotto, though. I respect that people might not agree with my views, even though I stand by them.
‘But when when I put that Santa suit on, it’s an entirely different thing.
‘I think the Friends do a great job and I was just trying to help them raise a bit of extra money for the flower beds, I am not paid for it.’