Councillor says sorry for use of word 'holocaust'

A CONSERVATIVE councillor who got into hot water with a Facebook comment on the war in Gaza says he is merely an advocate for peace and has apologised.

- By STUART ARNOLD Local democracy reporter [e-mail]

Cllr Justin Thompson upset the Jewish Labour Movement - a socialist society affiliated to the Labour Party - by claiming successive governments were supporting a “Holocaust” in the Gaza Strip, which continues to be subject to conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian supporters. It called on him to face “firm disciplinary action”.

The Conservative Party subsequently said the Skelton East councilor’s membership had been suspended subject to an investigation.

Cllr Thompson, an armed services veteran who was elected in 2023, continues to sit as a Tory councillor and has been required to undertake social media training by the party.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that matters were “done and dusted”.

Cllr Thompson said: “I was never out of the party, I was suspended pending an investigation.