'Political' Boris Johnson scarecrow removed by Wiltshire Council

A scarecrow of Boris Johnson, clutching champagne and wearing a vote leave badge, has been banned from a council competition for being "too political".

Created by The Secret Garden volunteers in Bourne Hill, Salisbury, it featured a mask of the Prime Minister's face and a fixed penalty notice.

Member Penny Ibbs said the council had suffered a "sense of humour failure".

Wiltshire County Council said: "Political statements are not allowed on Wiltshire Council property."

The Conservative-run council added: "However light-hearted the intent."

Ms Ibbs told BBC Radio Wiltshire "within days" of entering the Boris Johnson figure into the Salisbury City Council scarecrow competition, she received an e-mail that said he had been removed because he was in poor taste.

The scarecrow also featured a collection tin reading "Unemployed, please give generously, wife and kids to support".

But Ms Ibbs said: "I think even Boris would have found him funny."

Salisbury City Council did not wish to comment.

Sat amongst the garden's fruit bushes, Ms Ibbs said the Boris Johnson had to be removed from the council owned garden because "Wiltshire Council is a non-political organisation".

The mask has now been removed and the scarecrow has been relocated to the potting area after visitors to the garden posted the scarecrow to Facebook, Ms Ibbs said.

"He's looking more like an exhausted volunteer in need of a drink now," she said.

Deputy chief executive of Wiltshire Council, Andy Brown, said whilst there is "no official council policy around entries to scarecrow festivals, the council should remain impartial and not allow its resources to be used for political statements".

Salisbury City Council, who organised the scarecrow competition, declined to comment.

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