An AI-generated video mocking Gloucester Mayor Ashley Bowkett has ignited controversy and drawn sharp criticism from local politicians. The video, created by Community Independents group leader Alastair Chambers and shared on Facebook earlier this week, portrays Councillor Bowkett laughing as he refuses to hold a special meeting to address Gloucester City Council’s significant financial overspend.
At the time of the video’s release, efforts to convene a public meeting into the council’s £8 million overspend had been blocked, fueling frustration among opposition members. The video aimed to highlight this refusal by simulating the Mayor’s rejection of the meeting request in a satirical format.
However, Liberal Democrats have denounced Chambers' actions as “shameful,” “inappropriate,” and beneath the dignity expected of public officials. A Lib Dem spokesperson said, “This video is appalling. It is petty, vindictive, and completely unacceptable. Gloucester deserves councillors who prioritize the city’s welfare over cheap stunts and mockery. The Mayor represents this city above party politics, and to mock his role is not only a personal attack but an insult to Gloucester itself.”
The spokesperson added that Chambers’ behavior was a distraction amid serious challenges facing the city and called for formal consideration of the matter under council complaints and standards procedures.
In response, Cllr Chambers defended the video as a necessary measure to demand transparency. He explained that his formal call for a special full council meeting to investigate the missing funds had been supported across party lines but ultimately blocked by Mayor Bowkett. “I used AI technology to recreate the Mayor’s refusal — the very message he sent to councillors but hoped the public wouldn’t see,” Chambers said. “I wielded modern tools to shed light where others preferred darkness.”
Interestingly, within hours of the video’s circulation, the mayor reversed his stance and approved the special investigation meeting. Chambers claims this turnaround is proof his actions succeeded in forcing accountability and keeping taxpayers informed.
Mayor Bowkett has been contacted for comment, but the City Council has declined to respond publicly at this time.