Under-fire councillor faces more ‘quit’ calls

Coun Nader Fekri has vowed to report Conservative councillor Roger Taylor to officials at Calderdale Council after the email he sent to JUST West Yorkshire was made public earlier this week.

Coun Fekri, a Labour councillor, says he will also call for Coun Taylor’s resignation and challenge him on his views at today’s meeting of Calderdale’s full council.

As reported in yesterday’s Yorkshire Post, Coun Taylor sent the email after JUST called for the resignation of West Yorkshire Police’s chief constable Sir Norman Bettison following the publication of the Hillsborough report.

The email, sent on September 16, stated: “Are you telling me that this report is not overloaded with politically correct language rather like the Stephen Lawrence ‘enquiry’ (a joke in itself) was?

“You are not fit to tie Sir Norman Bettison’s shoe laces...so how dare you call for his resignation.”

The email continued: “As racist and anti-American Muslims once again rail against the west with their vile language of death to infidels you choose to ignore that and concentrate on Sir Norman.”

Coun Fekri told the Yorkshire Post: “Coun Taylor has said a few things in the past that have been near the knuckle but this time I think he’s gone way too far. What he has said is outrageous.”

Halifax MP Linda Riordan has also called for Coun Taylor to quit over the “despicable” comments.

But Coun Taylor – who is being backed by Calderdale’s Conservative leader Coun Stephen Baines MBE – says the email was sent from a private account and contained his personal views, rather than his views as a councillor.

He said: “When I woke up this morning this was still a free country with freedom of speech.

“As far as I am aware, I am allowed my opinions.”