Former Harrogate mayor and Liberal Democrat councillor Pat Marsh refuses to resign following antisemitism row

The Liberal Democrats suspended Councillor Marsh from the party yesterday (Monday) following a series of Tweets made over the past month related to the conflict in Gaza.

However she has denied the comments were antisemitic and said they were made to highlight her opposition to the ongoing war and the deaths of thousands of children.

Despite senior councillors on North Yorkshire Council calling on her to quit, Councillor Marsh told the Local Democracy Reporting Service this morning that she intends to sit as an independent for the remainder of her term of office, which is another three years.

She claimed she had received emails of support from residents urging her to carry on serving them in her Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division.

Councillor Marsh said: “I do not intend to resign and I will complete this term of office as an Independent.

"I am receiving quite a few emails of support from my residents asking me to remain as their Independent Councillor.

"I have worked for my residents and the wider community for 33 years and will continue to do so until my term of office ends.”

However, Councillor Marsh’s comments about Jewish people may find her in breach of the council’s code of conduct which all councillors sign up to.

This includes ensuring councillors do not discriminate against any person, treat others with respect and must not bring the council into disrepute.

The Local Government Association says a councillor can be removed from their role by the local authority should they be found to have committed a serious breach of the code.

Council leader Carl Les said a complaint has been made to the council’s monitoring officer which could lead to a referral to North Yorkshire Police.

Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones, raised Councillor Marsh’s comments in the House of Commons yesterday evening during a debate about antisemitism.