COUNCILLORS will be subject to a new social media code of conduct - after concerns were raised over "rude, thoughtless, and evil" posts.

Cllr Carole Swarbrick's bid to introduce a new charter was approved at tonight's full council meeting, where she criticised the the spread of 'fake news' from political parties. 

She was suspended from the council's Lib Dem group earlier this year after an outburst at a town hall meeting in which she likened the tactics of 'aspiring Lib Dem spin doctors' to the serial killer Harold Shipman.

The former mayor said tonight that practices of the Bolton Liberal Democrats' social media team went "beyond the normal cut and thrust of party politics". 

It was also revealed that the council is currently investigating a complaint made by a voluntary organisation about a Lib Dem councillor's remarks about it on social media, which it says has damaged its reputation.

Cllr Richard Silvester said: "They [the organisation] are livid about what has been said about them by the Lib Dem councillor in question."

He added: "They feel very strongly that the reputation of their organisation has been tarnished by the statement that a Liberal Democrat councillor has made about them."

Cllr Sean Hornby, Bolton's UKIP leader, said he believed the unnamed Lib Dem in question is a town councillor rather than a borough councillor.

Citing specific examples of the Lib Dems' social media team spreading 'fake news', Cllr Swarbrick said they had falsely accused Tory councillor Norman Critchley of striking a deal with Labour and had also falsely claimed credit for the repayment of the £300,000 council grant given to Asons Solicitors.

Cllr Andrew Martin, the Lib Dem leader on Bolton Council and the party's only politically-active councillor, did not comment on the motion.

Cllr Christine Wild said that some behaviour on social media had started to 'undermine democracy'.

However, Cllr Guy Harkin argued that the council must not curtail free speech, highlighting a strong tradition of satire in British politics.

UKIP's Paul Richardson, who abstained from a vote on the motion, added that current council guidelines should be enough to make councillors 'think twice' about what they publish on social media.

Cllr Anna-Marie Watters said: "There is room for healthy debate and political discussion, but some people have really over-stepped the mark.

"It has become rude, thoughtless, and evil."

Cllr Swarbrick concluded by saying that she hoped Bolton Council could return to "how business used to be done".