The leader of one of Norfolk's biggest councils has been sharing hardcore pornography on social media, it can be revealed.
Michael Stonard, from Norwich City Council, 'liked' an explicit clip on Twitter – now called X – which then appeared on his profile.
The Labour councillor, who presents a show on Future Radio and was previously chief executive of five different NHS bodies, initially denied that the account - which is in his name and is otherwise mostly preoccupied with politics - was his.
However, sources close to the leader later admitted that it was and that the pornographic post - which has been on the account since February - had been 'liked' accidentally.
It was removed from the profile after the council leader was contacted for comment by this newspaper. Mr Stonard has not commented since the post was removed.
This newspaper began investigating the account after a reader got in contact, with what they described as "troubling information" which it was in the public interest to highlight.
The reader said: “I am sharing this information with you because I believe this appaling indiscretion reflects so negatively, not just on Mr Stonard, Norwich City Council, his Labour colleagues and the Labour Party in Norwich, but also on the people that engage with or are linked with or from his social media, including your organisation.
“Liking this post may have been accidental and individuals are entitled to their own special interests in private. But ‘private’ is the key word.
“That video is easily accessed by any member of the public anywhere in the world.
“I am deeply concerned that such carelessness is not conducive with effective management and diligent stewardship of a fine city such as Norwich.
"This incident raises serious questions about councillor Stonard's suitability for the role."
The account, which has the handle @michaelstonard, was created in February 2022. 
The profile does not include any information about Mr Stonard's role as a councillor or about his background, and the display picture for the account is simply a letter M.
The majority of the accounts it follows relate either to the Labour Party or Norwich, and include Keir Starmer, the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, left-wing political commentator Owen Jones and Norwich City Council.
The account has only ever been used to retweet, like and respond to other people’s posts.
One of the posts shared was by Alice Macdonald, the Labour candidate for MP in Norwich North, on July 29, and features Mr Stonard.
The most recent activity on the account - before the pornographic post was removed this week - was on October 10 and involved a response to a clip of the TV show Have I Got News For You.
When contacted by this newspaper this week, Mr Stonard denied the account was his. A source close to him later said he had forgotten he had the account. The source said it was "rarely-used" and that the 'like' was "an accident".
The explicit post was published on February 24, 2023 and was present on the profile until Tuesday evening.
Mr Stonard has been leader of Norwich City Council for seven months, having taken over the post in May.
He previously served as cabinet member for inclusive and sustainable growth, a post he held between June 2017 and May 2023.
He has been a councillor for Catton Grove, in Norwich, since 2012.
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