Tory Mirfield mayor Robert Bennett made the remarks in an email to the town council clerk. Today his comments were branded as unacceptable and disgraceful by his party.

The email, passed to the Yorkshire Evening Post, follows a request by the Huddersfield-based Ahmidiyya Muslim Association to appear before the town council to ask for funding.

Part of his email response to the request, says: "I am aware Islamic organisations are keen to promote a view that they are peaceful, forward thinking individuals who wish to integrate into the British way of life. The policy of clothing the feminine population of Dewsbury in black sack-like clothing from head to toe, the occasional trip out to cause mayhem with explosives and the proposal that all those of homosexual persuasion should be killed by shooting or other means is adequate and practical testimony to the level of progress being made in this direction."

He goes on: "I, for one, am not prepared to spend the time on something that can be dealt with elsewhere... We have enough non-religious problems to address in Mirfield at this time without adding a religious dimension to our discussions."

When asked about the email Coun Bennett said: "You have a copy of the email. If you choose to use what has been passed to you anonymously for the purpose of mischievousness and to try and discredit me, then so be it."

Kirklees Tory group leader Coun Robert Light, said: "The Tory Party in Kirklees totally distances ourselves from the comments made by Bob Bennett, which we find totally unacceptable."

Coun Keith Sibbald, Dewsbury Tory constituency chairman, said: "You cannot say things like that."

No one was available from the Ahmidiyya Muslim Association. A Mirfield Town Council spokesman confirmed the email had been sent from Coun Bennett.