‘Women should not perform as Santa Claus,’ says local councillor

‘My understanding is that Santa Claus, otherwise called Father Christmas (among other names), is a male role’

Christmas controversies are afoot in the northern town of Newton Aycliffe, where a member of the local council is trying to prevent women from performing as Santa Claus in an annual parade.

During a recent council meeting, two female residents volunteered to take on the role, which would see them waving on a float and handing out sweets to onlookers dressed as the Christmas character, and committee members voted unanimously to allow this.

But not everyone was in agreement, as Labour councillor Arun Chandran is now trying to overturn the decision by arguing that there is “no shortage of male volunteers” and that the role should only be given to a woman as a last resort.

“My understanding is that Santa Claus, otherwise called Father Christmas (among other names), is a male role,” he said, adding that children will be expecting a male Santa and that it “may well reflect badly on the council” were they to choose a woman as ”a form of political correctness".

“Santa Claus being a man is a long-held tradition accepted by the vast majority of society without question and change just for the sake of it,” he continues, “rather than a good reason or necessity is wrong, and will only serve to attract negative publicity.”

The councillor went on to explain that he would have no objection to female volunteers taking on the role had he been convinced that the council had spent time looking for male volunteers to no avail. But he remained adamant that this was not the case.

"I remain open if members can convince me that the Rotary Club and other councils are introducing women Santas everywhere, but they are not," he added.

The annual parade, which takes place on Christmas Eve, has been a tradition in the County Durham town since the 1960s.

Speaking to The Times, village councillor Bill Blenkinsopp, 70, argued that Chandran’s objections were misguided.

“We voted unanimously, there’s nothing wrong with the lady Santa," he said. "Does it matter who Santa is?”

Council clerk Andrew Bailey said a final decision regarding the casting would be made at a full council meeting on 12 December.