Brexit Party expels Hartlepool councillor for 'racist comments'

A councillor has been expelled from the Brexit Party for racist comments he made to undercover reporters.

David Mincher was filmed by Channel 4 News boasting he tried to bury a pig's head under a mosque in Hartlepool.

Mr Mincher - who has now resigned as a town councillor - later said it was a fake story telling Channel 4 it was a "stupid act of showing off".

The Brexit Party has withdrawn the whip from him after being made aware of the "appalling comments".

Mr Mincher has also resigned his seat on Hartlepool Borough Council.

Along with Gordon Parkin - said to be the Brexit Party's assistant manager for the North East region - he was filmed campaigning in Hartlepool, where party chairman Richard Tice is standing in the general election.

They were shown complaining Muslims were "outbreeding us" and Mr Minchin was also shown making a series of derogatory remarks about Pakistanis, Somalis and Turks.

Mr Parkin has now been dismissed from the party.

In a statement, Mr Tice said: "Both I and the Brexit Party totally condemn the hideous remarks in question in the strongest possible terms.

"I would take the gravest exception to any attempt by Channel 4 to suggest that I or the Brexit Party in any way share, condone or was aware of these views and matters."

He said the undercover reporters may have breached electoral law and accused Channel 4 of being prepared to go to the "most extreme lengths" to discredit Brexit and Brexiteers.

A Channel 4 News spokeswoman said: "We stand by our journalism."