It only took five days… or amazingly it took five whole days, but Ukip has suspended one of its newly-elected councillors after the fledgling politician was allegedly caught tweeting about "perverts", "poofs and dykes" and "Pakis".
Dave Small, a fresh face on Redditch Borough Council since Thursday, is to be investigated by the party for allegedly posting homophobic and racist remarks on social media. The councillor won the Church Hill ward by a hefty 665 votes, however he could soon find himself turfed out of Ukip should they conclude wrongdoing.
"Dave Small has been suspended with immediate effect, pending a disciplinary hearing to determine the final outcome," said a Ukip spokesman.
It was reported that in February 2013, Small posted tweets about equal marriage ("poofs and dykes") and gay people ("perverts").
In November the previous year he’d complained that he was not allowed to use the term "Paki", while in June he wrote: "I visiting the city of Birmingham recently and felt like a foreigner in the city of my birth, all around me I could hear the sound of jabbering in an alien voice ... we also have the Pakistani' and the Somali's. Tell me Mr Cameron Why? the men wear their Pyjamas."
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Small then set about admonishing coalition policies for likely letting in "thousends mor scroungers" from Mali.
According to the Birmingham Mail, dubious Facebook posts have also surfaced, with Small apparently attacking BBC presenter Clare Balding and crooner Elton John for their sexuality.
“Why on earth is this useless Goverment pandering to Puffs? I refuse to call them gays, as what has gay to do with Perverts like Elton John and Clair [sic] Balding who get their jollies in such disgusting ways. to sum up, they should not allowed to be married, they should go back to the closet," his status says.
Another post, under the heading "‘Muslims and the threat they pose to our way of life" states: “Fact, we had most eradicated T.B from this country, then with the migration for Muslim country’s its near epidemic proportions.
Yet another post from 2012 said: "I visiting the city of Birmingham recently and felt like a foreigner in the city of my birth, all around me I could hear the sound of jabbering in an alien voice … we also have the Pakistani' and the Somali's. Tell me Mr Cameron Why? the men wear their Pyjamas."
"But mustn’t say anything, it might be considered racist.”
One of his Ukip collegues, Stuart Cross, a newly-elected councillor in Redditch South, said that Small should be kicked out of the party.
Stonewall's acting chief executive, Ruth Hunt, told the Guardian Ukip would be "judged by the company they keep".
"These reprehensible views have no place in modern Britain."
Redditch Borough Council said that because the alleged comments were made before Small became a councillor, it was not for them to deal with him.