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A Teesside official for the UK Independence Party has been caught up in a “racism” row over remarks made about murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence.

At the weekend, a national newspaper carried a series of comments, apparently made by UKIP’s Redcar branch secretary, Pamela Preedy.

The comments were taken from an internal online party forum and posted last year around the time of the 20th anniversary of the death of Mr Lawrence, who was murdered in a racist attack while waiting for a bus in London on April 22, 1993.

But in the comments attributed to Pamela Preedy, used as part of a longer article, she is quoted as saying his image had been “promoted to sainthood.”

She is reported to have written: “‘The image of Stephen Lawrence has been promoted to sainthood, with his own memorial site, constant invocation of his name in any discussion of racism; even to close down a discussion about immigration when the issue bore no relevance to his murder.”

Saying Prime Minster David Cameron “and other politicos” had been “worshipping at the shrine of Saint Stephen,” she adds: “I’m sure his mother (Doreen Lawrence) still grieves for him, but it’s time she did it privately without setting him up as some kind of media icon.

“She risks... boring us all to tears.”

Mrs Preedy told the Gazette the comments had been taken from a private forum and used out of context, but declined to comment further.

However the party’s regional chairman, Richard Elvin, has condemned the comments and admitted she may lose her party membership.

He told the Gazette: “Pamela Preedy’s comments are totally contrary to UKIP’s core values and beliefs.

“We fully support Doreen Lawrence and her campaign to eradicate all racist crime.

“She has done a fantastic job under the most difficult circumstances.

“When members would appear to be saying things contrary to our core values and beliefs, we do take immediate action and their membership is considered.

“An internal inquiry is taking place at the moment which we hope will have a speedy conclusion.

“The ultimate sanction would be for the person to have their membership revoked.”

He added: “If other parties’ forums were scrutinised to the same extent as ours, I’m sure you wind find a treasure trove of embarrassment.

“It’s in a lot of people’s interest to do whatever they can to sully our name.”