Video footage of Cllr Brian Coleman branding Barnet bloggers “sad, mad and a couple of old hags” has been released on the internet.

The jibe was made during a Barnet Council meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday as members of the public heckled the controversial Conservative politician from the public gallery as he defended the council’s One Barnet outsourcing programme.

The gallery erupted in outrage and the meeting had to be called to a brief halt as the mayor tried to regain a grip on proceedings.

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Jack Cohen called on Cllr Coleman, who lost his seat on the London Assembly this summer, to apologise, but he refused. Labour leader Cllr Alison Moore has lodged an official complaint with the council’s monitoring officer and Tory leader Cllr Richard Cornelius.

Cllr Coleman refused to comment, saying: “I do not talk to the Ham&High.”