North Yorkshire councillor Pat Marsh quits over 'antisemitic' tweets row

Pat Marsh was suspended from the Liberal Democrats following a string of comments on social media

A councillor has resigned from North Yorkshire Council after she made comments on social media that were criticised as antisemitic.

The council said on Monday that Pat Marsh would no longer represent the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division and a by-election would be held.

Her comments on Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza saw her suspended from the Liberal Democrats.

She denied she was antisemitic and had planned to continue as an independent.

"These appalling antisemitic views have no place in our party," a Lib Dems spokesperson said last week.

Ms Marsh has worked for three decades in local politics, where she was at the heart of the Liberal Democrats' Harrogate district operation.

She won with 1,350 votes when the division was last contested in 2022 - and the by-election could be close, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Conservative John Ennis came second with 910 votes, Labour's Helen Burke was third with 189 votes and independent Anna McIntee was fourth with 167 votes.