Labour councillors spark outrage as they compare Tories to Hitler’s SS – apology demanded

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Bassetlaw District Councillors reacted to a social media post shared by Momentum activist Ian Ampleford joking about the Nazi paramilitary group. The left-winger said he has been banned from posting in an online local community group after he “made an innocent post comparing the Tories to the SS”.

He added: “I would like to take this opportunity to apologise unreservedly to anyone who voted for a German military organisation at the last general election.”

He had originally shared a message saying his SS grandfather “would be proud of what the Tories have done to Britain”.

Claire Plevin, councillor for the ward of East Retford North, “liked” the Facebook post.

East Retford West Councillor Jim Anderson went further, joking in a message responding to Mr Ampleford’s post: “I’m not sure posed that you’ve been blackshirted (is that the right expression?).

“Surely most self-respecting SS thinkers would be appalled at being linked in such a way.”

His post was “liked” by Garry Clarkson, the current mayor or Retford.

In his biography on the Bassetlaw District Council website, Mr Clarkson takes pride in his role teaching people about World War Two.

The biography reads: “Prior to retirement Garry was a teacher for 23 years and was an Associate Assistant Principal and Head of Humanities.

“He leads educational visits to Holocaust-related sites across Europe, in addition to historical tours of the World War One battlefields of Belgium and France.”

The SS was responsible for some of the worst atrocities of Hitler’s regime.

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The 250,000 strong force was responsible for overseeing the notorious Nazi concentration camps from 1934 and oversaw the deaths of millions of Jews.

A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism demanded the councillors apologise.

They said there was no excuse for comparing today’s politicians to the fascist regime.

The spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “There is no reasonable basis for this offensive comparison.

“Such trivial equations of today’s politics with the darkest period in human history diminish the meaning and memory of the Holocaust.

“This is the opposite of the example politicians are supposed to be setting, both about Holocaust education and how to conduct public debate.

“Labour councillors must apologise.”

The three councillors and the Labour Party have all been contacted for comment.

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