Brexit Party suspends Hartlepool councillor over racist post

Last year the Brexit Party formed a pact with independents for control of Hartlepool Council

A Brexit Party member has been suspended after sharing a racist Facebook post about claiming benefits.

Hartlepool councillor Tony Richardson apologised and said he did not fully read or understand the joke before re-posting it.

Shane Moore, leader of the council's Brexit Party-led coalition, said racist language and behaviour was "completely inexcusable and unforgivable".

The party has launched a formal investigation.

In December, another Brexit Party councillor was expelled for racist comments made to undercover reporters.

The authority's Labour leader Paddy Brown said there was "something deeply wrong" with the Brexit Party in Hartlepool.

'Completely unforgivable'

In a statement. Mr Richardson, who represents the Fens and Rossmere ward, said he "apologised unreservedly" for sharing the post on 15 December.

"I am an inexperienced Facebook user who has shared many posts - often without reading them or fully understanding them," he said.

"I am mortified by the offence I have caused and have removed myself from Facebook. It was never my intention to upset people and I will not be using any form of social media until I have a full understanding."

'Appropriate action'

Mr Moore said within an hour of receiving a complaint he asked for a full investigation.

He added: "Now that the initial fact-finding meeting has been held, I have also taken the appropriate action to suspend Tony Richardson's membership of the coalition pending the outcome of the formal investigation."

Mr Brown said: "The Brexit Party adamantly defends that they're not a racist party, yet time after time members are found to hold racist beliefs.

"Clearly there is something deeply wrong with the Brexit Party in Hartlepool."

The Brexit Party took control of the council in September after a number of councillors defected to the party, which formed a coalition with three Conservatives.

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