A Bushey councillor has given his side of the story after political opponents shared a video of him storming out of a "boring" debate on the Winter Fuel Payments cut.

Hertsmere's Conservative group accused Liberal Democrat county councillor for Bushey North Laurence Brass of "flouncing" out of a meeting last week which saw councillors discuss the government's controversial cutting of the winter fuel payment.

A video shared on social media shows Cllr Brass getting up and leaving the chamber while shouting "we've heard this speech so many times, it's boring".

The Hertsmere Conservative Party has described his actions as "shocking", but Cllr Brass has accused political opponents of "contrived fake anger".

He told the Watford Observer: “I am heartened at the local Conservative Party’s contrived fake anger against me after their wrecking tactics were rightly blamed for the cancellation of a key council debate on special educational needs."

The retired judge turned county councillor says that Conservative members were attempting a "filibuster" in order to delay a planned debate on provision for children with special educational needs (SEND) in Hertfordshire.

Cllr Brass said: "The ruling Tories deliberately sabotaged a motion aimed at making the SEND process fairer for families. Their party stooges made a long series of identical speeches on the same agenda item, about winter fuel payments, over which the council has absolutely no influence, so that there was no time left to consider reforms for special educational needs."

The debate was cancelled after time ran out in the meeting.

However, Conservative councillor Morris Bright branded Cllr Brass's claims "arrant nonsense".

"There were two long and important debates about flooding and the winter fuel allowance in which many members from all parties contributed and which meant that there was sadly not enough time for the third motion on the agenda," Cllr Bright said.

"Flooding and removal of winter fuel allowance has worried many residents and it was good to witness proper debates on these issues.

"Special needs provision for children in schools is also a very important issue and one would hope that the council council may wish to hold a discussion on it at their next meeting."

He also suggested Cllr Brass "perhaps consider if he is cut out to be a local councillor" if he found the Winter Fuel Allowance debate boring - adding an apology for his behaviour would be more fitting than "wild accusations".

A Hertsmere Conservative spokesperson said: "Hertfordshire has 189,000 pensioners and many cannot afford to lose the allowance. Cllr Brass being 'bored' by the discussions says a great deal sadly."