A local councillor has been suspended for posting a comment on Facebook comparing Muslim children wearing burkas to bin bags.

Chris Joannides also messaged friends during meetings with his constituents asking for updates on football scores and complaining about missing his favourite television programmes.

The Conservative councillor for Enfield, in north London, has denied being Islamophobic and defended his comments as "blokeish banter".

Mr Joannides posted a photo showing a woman and child dressed in burkas standing next to two bin bags. He wrote underneath: "I saw her standing there and I told her she had three beautiful children. She didn't have to get all p***ed off and threaten me. It was an honest mistake!"

"I am not, never have been and never will be Islamophobic," he said this week. "The comments I made were against Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism including the demonisation of women, something the whole world is concerned about in the light of terrorist attacks on the West since September 11."

Daily Mail, 7 February 2013

In other words, Joannides is arguing that Muslim women who wear the niqab are associated with "Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism". Does he really think that makes things better?

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A Bournemouth councillor has apologised "unreservedly" after saying online that only the English Defence League "sticks up for the English".

Conservative councillor Sue Anderson said she had suspended herself from the party and referred herself for disciplinary procedures.

She made the comment via her Twitter account on Saturday.

Ms Anderson said she had also referred herself to Bournemouth Council's Standards Board.

The married grandmother has been a councillor for the Moordown ward in the Dorset town since 2007.

Her Twitter comment posted in a conversation on Saturday read: "but nobody else except the EDL stick up for the English." The account has since been taken down from the site.

On Sunday Ms Anderson issued a statement saying the comment had been made in haste.

"As a result of the attention it has attracted, I have been made aware that a previous comment may also have been offensive. For both comments I apologise unreservedly. I would like to make it clear that I in no way support the English Defence League or any other organisation that promotes intolerance."

She said she realised her comments were "incompatible with active participation within the Conservative Party" so had suspended her membership of the Bournemouth East Conservative Association and Bournemouth Conservatives Council Group.

BBC News, 7 May 2012

The comment that Anderson concedes "may also have been offensive" read: "If you don't like it here go back to where you came from."

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