Council to debate 'offensive' Holocaust comments

A PARISH council is to hold an extraordinary meeting next week to discuss allegations that one of its members has brought it into disrepute with remarks about the Holocaust.

- by LEE TREWHELA

Mylor parish councillor Peter Lawrence was widely condemned after a video of the comments he made at a protest in Truro was widely publicised online.

Cllr Lawrence, a member of the far-right British Democrats party, was interviewed on camera while attending the Great British Strike gathering and said the Holocaust was "massively over-exaggerated".

Asked by a counter-protester from the group Cornwall Resists if anti-semitism existed, he replied: "Technically, no". He then said: "Hitler did not have beef with the Jews".

Known by the nickname "Farmer Pete", Cllr Lawrence founded the Farmers Movement Cornwall campaign group and joined Mylor Parish Council in April. At last year's general election he stood for the Truro and Falmouth seat as an Independent, receiving 498 votes.

After Cornwall Resist's video went viral Cllr Lawrence's comments were widely condemned.