Reform UK is not suspending a newly elected councillor who has been criticised for sharing a now-deleted Adolf Hitler meme on social media.

Councillor Joel Tetlow is under fire after he posted a picture of the Nazi leader on Facebook, overlooking a map of Europe with an apparent reference to small boats crossing the Channel.

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A caption on the picture said: “Why don’t we invade them slowly? A few men at a time in small boats.”

Mr Tetlow, who was elected as county councillor for Accrington North on Lancashire County Council last week, then added: “Let’s be grateful this idea was never put to him. Or the world as we know it would be a whole lot different.”

After being approached by Sky News, Mr Tetlow deleted the post. It had been uploaded on Tuesday.

In a statement to Sky News, he said: “The boats that are coming in on a daily basis of up to 1,000 per day has been happening for the past four years or more, and are showing no signs of abating.

“We do not know who these people are, and I was likening it to an invasion. Just as in Greece they used a wooden horse to sneak into Troy during the Trojan War, disguising their soldiers inside.

“Only yesterday, eight Iranians were arrested looking to attack our country. We just want to protect our great country and the citizens within it. I feel that this post is being taken out of context.”

‘I didn’t mean any disrespect’

Mr Tetlow added: “I had removed the post because even though I know what I meant to say, I had people slating me again and didn’t want a repeat of last time.

“I have also received a call from Reform UK who has also asked me to remove it.

“I don’t mean any disrespect especially with it being around VE Day, but as I said I likened it more to the Trojan horse coming in small [boats].

“We did fight off an assault in the First and Second World War, and we owe a huge gratitude to the soldiers who fought in both of those wars.”

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Farage urged to suspend councillor

Chris Webb, the Labour MP for Blackpool South, told Sky News he was “appalled but not shocked by Nigel Farage’s failure to suspend his councillor” over the “horrific and deeply offensive posts”.

“As we unite as a nation to honour the heroes who bravely fought against tyranny to safeguard our freedoms, it is utterly abhorrent for a Reform councillor to post memes about Hitler during the 80th anniversary of VE Day,” he said.

“This is a time to reflect on the values of courage, resilience, and community that define us as a nation.

“Farage must act decisively and suspend this councillor immediately to uphold the dignity of our shared history and the principles we cherish.”

Lancashire Council is one of 10 local authorities Reform now controls following last week’s local elections, in which they also won the Runcorn by-election from Labour and gained more than 650 new councillors.

Reform leader Mr Farage has used the results to declare his party is now the “official opposition” to Labour.

Over the past few months, he has promised to “professionalise” the party so it is ready to form the next government – something Mr Farage now believes is possible.

However, questions have been raised about how the party is run internally following the public row with Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe, who was suspended over allegations of “verbal threats”, which he denies.

The BBC also reported a newly elected Reform councillor in Shropshire was suspended after she posted on X about her plans to defect from the party.

Sky News has approached Reform UK and Lancashire County Council for comment.