A COUNCILLOR embroiled in a race row has defended a statement that was branded anti-Semitic.

A storm erupted online after Conservative councillor Sol Wielkopolski, who represents Barrow on Cumbria County Council, posted a tweet linking Jews and wealthy people.

Retweeting a video of Jeremy Corbyn in which the Labour leader criticised Boris Johnson and his ‘millionaire friends’, the councillor said: “Why is Corbyn inciting hatred of the wealthy?

“I guess it’s consistent with his hatred of Jews.

“The wealthy pay far more tax and create more jobs than his tribe, so should be celebrated and cherished, not derided. Wealth should be a protected characteristic.”

The tweet was reported to Cumbria County Council’s monitoring officer by David Wilkinson - he said the statement ‘uses an anti-Semitic stereotype about people of the Jewish faith’.

“In the current climate it is important that people in positions of influence and power are not able to air such views without having to feel the full force of the law,” he added. 

The Newbarns and Parkside councillor has refused to delete the post, arguing there was nothing wrong with it.

He said: “It was a bit clumsy but it’s not anti-Semitic in my view. I have received a torrent of abuse but I’ve not deleted the tweet. I was criticising Corbyn for his hatred of Jews as well as any successful people.”

Mr Wielkopolski said he had received assurances from an anti-Semitism campaigner that the tweet was not racist.

The councillor previously told a county council meeting: “In the fight against antisemitism we must stand firm, united and skilled in guarding against it.”

County council Conservative group leader James Airey said: “I don’t think it was anti-Semitic. People are very sensitive these days.”

A spokesman for the county council said: “Cumbria County Council has a strict code of conduct for all of its members.

“Any alleged breach of this code will be investigated under the council’s established policies and procedures.”