Reform councillor resigns over Holocaust 'hoax' post
BBCA newly elected Reform UK councillor who claimed the Holocaust was a hoax has resigned from his party just days after being elected.
Jay Cooper was voted in to represent the party in the Bootle West ward at Sefton Council on Merseyside.
However, he has now apologised for his comments, resigned the party whip and has indicated he would go on to sit as an independent.
Reform confirmed Cooper had resigned and said his membership of the party had been revoked.
Cooper said comments made on Facebook in September in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of US political commentator Charlie Kirk were "poorly expressed".
In posts which have now been deleted but were reported in the Liverpool Echo, Cooper reposted an article about the shooting with the accompanying headline: "Heartbreaking. Murdered for having an opinion."
Responding to a comment which asked, "Hitler had [an opinion] too, did he deserve to die?", Cooper made reference to the Holocaust being "a hoax" and suggested it was "propaganda".
'Full responsibility'
In a new post on the website on Tuesday, Cooper said: "The Holocaust was real. I was not denying the existence of the camps or the systematic murder carried out by the Nazi regime.
"I have visited Auschwitz multiple times and have seen first hand the conditions and historical evidence of those atrocities.
"My comments were poorly expressed and have understandably caused concern and upset. I was not denying the suffering of millions of victims or the crimes committed by the Nazis.
"I accept that my words failed to reflect the seriousness and sensitivity this subject demands, and for that I sincerely apologise. I would also like to apologise to anyone who was offended or hurt by my comments.
"I take full responsibility for my remarks. As a result, I have decided today to resign from Reform UK and continue serving as an independent representative.
"The people of Bootle West voted for me to be their voice, and I remain committed to serving them honestly and tirelessly. I will be here to listen and be the voice of my constituents.
"I want to thank everyone who placed their trust in me. Too many people in Bootle still feel ignored, left behind, and unheard. I will continue working every day to justify the confidence shown in me, while also earning the respect of those who did not vote for me.
"I hope, in time, my actions and service to the community will speak louder than this mistake."
Cooper was elected to represent Bootle West in Thursdays local elections alongside two Labour candidates.
His resignation means Reform now have four councillors in Sefton.
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