The Conservatives have called on the Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council to resign.
They said that Councillor Nancy Platts’ position had become “untenable” after one Labour councillor was suspended and two others quit the party in the row about anti-semitism.
The two resignations left the Greens with the most councillors. The party has 19, compared with 18 Labour councillors, 13 Conservatives and four independents.
Expectations are growing that Greens will take over the administration on Thursday (23 July) at a “virtual” meeting of the full council.
The Tories contrasted the Labour administration’s commitment to running an “anti-racist” council with its approach to handling claims that councillors had shared anti-semitic messages on social media.
The Conservatives said: “The Conservative group is strongly against all forms of racism and discrimination.
“On (Friday) 12 June the Labour administration pledged that Brighton and Hove City Council would be an anti-racist council.
“However, in recent days the leader of the council has kept a number of councillors under investigation or suspension from the Labour Party for alleged anti-semitic racism as part of her administration’s group.
“The leader of the council’s actions have contradicted the city’s policy to be an anti-racist council and now brought Brighton and Hove City Council into disrepute and crisis.
“The leader of the council’s position is untenable if this situation is allowed to continue and, for the good of the city, she should immediately resign.”
Conservative group leader Steve Bell said: “We will strive to rid the council of all sorts of racism and not support any administration which allows its councillors under investigation and suspension for these serious matters to remain in their group.
“The city deserves better and as Conservatives we will work to deliver a council which is fit for purpose and free from all forms of racism.”
