A Tory mayor has been expelled from the party over alleged anti-Semitic remarks.
Atiqul Hoque, a member of Salisbury City Council in Wiltshire, is alleged to have made “offensive and inappropriate comments” on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.
He has now been expelled from the party with immediate effect after Conservative Party officials investigated a formal complaint they received.
Mr Hoque has been contacted for comment.
He told the Salisbury Journal newspaper that he is appealing the decision and will continue “representing the people of Salisbury” as an independent mayor.
It is unclear specifically what the alleged social media remarks were.
City’s first Muslim mayor
Mr Hoque has been a Conservative city councillor for St Edmund’s ward since 2015 and was appointed as the first ever Muslim mayor in the cathedral city of Salisbury in May last year.
The Salisbury Conservative Association said in a statement: “The Conservative Party is committed to upholding the values of tolerance, diversity, and respect. It came to our attention that one of our members, Councillor Atiqul Hoque has recently made offensive and inappropriate comments on WhatsApp and social media.
“We take such matters seriously and prioritise the maintenance of high ethical standards and values within our party.
“Upon receiving a formal complaint, our party initiated a thorough investigation, in accordance with our robust complaints process. This process ensures that individuals have the opportunity to present their perspective and allows for a fair and impartial assessment of the situation.”
The party added: “Following a careful examination of the evidence, it has been determined that councillor Hoque’s comments are in clear breach of the standards expected from individuals holding public office.
“As a result, the Conservative Party has taken the decision to expel Councillor Atiqul Hoque from the party.”
Labour delay
The row comes after Labour was forced to take action against two parliamentary candidates within 24 hours after anti-Israel comments came to light.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, suspended Graham Jones, the prospective parliamentary candidate for Hyndburn, where he was MP until 2019, after it emerged that he referred to “f—— Israel” at a public meeting and said that British volunteers in the Israel Defense Forces should be “locked up”.
He was pushed into the decision less than a day after he was forced to remove support for Azhar Ali, his candidate for this month’s Rochdale by-election, following an outcry over a string of anti-Semitic remarks made by Mr Ali at the same gathering that went unchallenged.