UKIP councillors storm out of meeting as party accused of 'spreading hate, fear and division'
Furious UKIP councillors stormed out of a council meeting after the party was accused of 'spreading hate, fear and division' as its members tried to move a motion calling for more focus on anti-semitism.
Dudley UKIP councillor Star Anderton urged the council to make a commitment to condemning anti-semitism - a call which united all parties at the council house until Councillor Shaukat Ali launched an attack on the party.
The Labour councillor welcomed action but said he was surprised it was UKIP which had put the idea forward.
His comments sparked outrage among the UKIP councillors which make up the third biggest party in Dudley.
Group leader Councillor Paul Brothwood said he was 'disgusted' and walked out of the full council meeting, along with UKIP MEP and Sedgley councillor Bill Etheridge.
Councillor Brothwood called for his Labour counterpart to be suspended along with the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Mohammed Hanif, and chief executive Sarah Norman for not intervening.
Councillor Anderton had said she wanted anti-semitism to be recognised in the same way as racism, and taken as seriously.
Several members spoke in support of the motion, including council leader Pete Lowe in what appeared would be a harmonious discussion until Councillor Ali weighed in.
He said: "It is the party responsible for spreading hate, fear and division bringing this motion."
His comments lit the blue touch paper and prompted several UKIP members to leave the meeting.
Councillor Anderton fumed: "That is a disgusting thing to say in the chamber." She then joined her colleagues in leaving the meeting.
Following the hearing, Councillor Brothwood said: "I have called for the chief executive, mayor and Councillor Ali to be suspended.
"They should have intervened and put a stop to it.
"It is not fair for my councillors to feel intimidated by rogue members of the Labour Party."
Councillor Lowe had earlier spoken about his pride at seeing communities of various faiths standing up to English Defence League protesters who descended on Birmingham at the weekend.
He said: "We had the racist EDL targeting our community not far away in Birmingham. What was our response? We had a tea party.
"We looked towards what we had in common rather than what divided us."
