Calls to suspend councillor over 'Hitler' post
Two Labour MPs have called for Reform UK to suspend one of its newly elected councillors after a photo of Adolf Hitler was shared on his official Facebook page.
Hyndburn MP Sarah Smith and Blackpool South MP Chris Webb shared a screengrab of a post from Lancashire county councillor Joel Tetlow's account.
Condemning the post on the councillor's social media account, Smith said: "During this country's VE Day anniversary week, he deemed [it] appropriate."
The BBC has approached Tetlow, who told Sky News he did not "mean any disrespect", and Reform UK for a response. Lancashire County Council declined to comment and said it was a matter for Reform UK.
Tetlow, who represents Accrington North, is part of the newly elected ruling group on Lancashire County Council.
The new council leader is due to be elected by the Reform group's councillors on 10 May.
Following last week's elections, the party now holds 53 of the local authority's 84 seats.
Smith's office said the post appeared on Tetlow's Facebook page at about 13:00 BST on Tuesday and remained visible at 08:00 on Wednesday.
The post was later deleted.
It featured a picture of Hitler looking at a map and was overlaid with the words "Why don't we invade them slowly? A few men at a time in small boats".
The accompanying text then read: "Let's be grateful this idea was never put to him... or the world as we know it would be a whole lot different."
Sky News reported earlier that Tetlow had said in a statement that he did not "mean any disrespect" by the post and that he had been asked to remove it by Reform UK.
He said daily boats showed "no signs of abating", adding: "We do not know who these people are, and I was likening it to an invasion.
"Just as in Greece they used a wooden horse to sneak into Troy during the Trojan War, disguising their soldiers inside."
'Affront to values'
Responding on Facebook, Smith said she wanted Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and the party to "immediately suspend" the councillor and for Tetlow to publicly apologise.
"During this country's VE Day anniversary week, he deemed the below post appropriate," she said.
"If he had any regard for this country's traditions or the sacrifice that our armed forces played, he would not be downplaying Hitler's attempts to invade Britain to score political points."
She said Tetlow was "now an elected representative and frankly needs to do better".
Fellow Labour MP Webb said he was "appalled" by the post.
He added: "This is not just unacceptable; it is an affront to the values we hold dear [as] Lancastrians and as a nation."
He said it was "a flagrant violation of the Councillor Code of Conduct and undermines the trust placed in public officials".
Lancashire County Council declined to comment on Webb's claim that the post violated the code of conduct.
Webb added: "There is no room for hate or extremism in our political discourse, and we must unequivocally condemn this conduct."
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