Wrexham: Tory against Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney honour

The proposal is in recognition of the impact the two owners have had in helping to promote Wrexham across the world

A Conservative councillor has spoken out against a proposal to give Wrexham AFC's Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney the freedom of the city.

Tory Hugh Jones has criticised Reynolds for liking an Instagram post by club striker Paul Mullin which contained the words "**** the Tories".

Mr Jones has described the post as a "message of hate".

Wrexham AFC said the club takes a "neutral position" on politics.

A full council meeting will take place on Wednesday where a vote will be held on the actors being given the award, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

After the post, Wrexham AFC confirmed that the boots revealed by Mullin on social media would not be worn in any of the club's fixtures.

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The club said at the time: "The photographs taken at the Racecourse ground were done so without our knowledge or approval.

"For the record, the pictures wouldn't have been permitted to be taken, had we known, and the issue will be dealt with privately by the club."

"Hate is destructive wherever it comes from," says Hugh Jones

There was controversy last month when the proposal was mooted at the council's Independent / Conservative coalition executive board meeting.

At that meeting Tory group leader Mr Jones said: "I've looked at the nature of the freedom and the fact it's awarded to people or persons of distinction or rendered eminent service to a place.

"I fully understand the passion for Wrexham football club.

"But for me the timing, the values and the priorities are wrong.

"We're awarding the freedom at a time when one of their star players has engaged in a message of hate to a section of our community, and one of the owners has liked an Instagram post containing that same message of hate."

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney welcomed King Charles and the Queen Consort to the Racecourse last week

After being nominated for the honour, McElhenney and Reynolds said in a statement: "The most significant aspect of the honour is that it recognises that we have begun to achieve what it was that we set out to deliver, off the pitch.

"This isn't about us, we created an opportunity that the community firstly embraced and is now taking forward."

Mr Jones and fellow Tory Paul Roberts both voted against the proposal. There are nine Tories among the 56 Wrexham councillors.