Milton Keynes councillor faces no probe over migrants comment

Campbell Park and Old Woughton councillor Terry Baines served with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

A councillor and former soldier who said it is "time to stop the invasion of migrants and time to send a lot back" will not face an investigation.

The standards assessment sub-committee at Milton Keynes Council said councillor Terry Baines' comments on Twitter were "very minor or trivial".

After referring himself he apologised saying he was talking about "illegal immigrants arriving by small boat".

The conservative politician agreed to attend a diversity course.

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, there were calls for Mr Baines to resign.

The councillor for Campbell Park and Old Woughton said: "I was trying to refer to the number of illegal immigrants arriving by small boat into the country and not those that have or are entering legally."

He made the "wrong" comments on Twitter, but has since deleted them, he said.

The councillor was elected to Milton Keynes Council in May 2018

Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Crooks said even though he found the comments "distasteful' he thought they "reflect a significant element within the community."

"We ask our elected representatives not to be too bland. Sometimes stating a view may be unpopular but nonetheless it is a legitimate view."

Mr Baines's views, on issue of immigration could have been "more tactfully or diplomatically phrased", he said.

The sub-committee said that Mr Baines' comments had breached the council's code of conduct, and shown a lack of respect.

Labour councillor Norman Miles wanted the matter investigated as he did not think they were "trivial" but "very significant", he said.

"I fundamentally disagree, otherwise anyone can say what they like and then say I am sorry."

Chairman of the sub-committee, conservative councillor Saleena Raja, said the comments were "completely unacceptable and many people in the community have rightfully taken offence to this".

Councillor Baines has also been stripped of his post as Armed Forces champion.