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A Conservative council leader is facing calls to step down after retweeting a post hailing Tommy Robinson a 'patriot'.

Swale Borough Council leader Andrew Bowles retweeted the post last week, appearing to condemn the EDL co-founder's social media ban.

Opposition councillor Antony Hook of the Swale Liberal Democrats has now called for the council's Conservative Party to distance itself from Cllr Bowles, while others have urged him to quit.

The offending tweet included an image of Tommy Robinson's head superimposed on Mel Gibson's on The Patriot film cover, alongside British and English flags in an apparent attempt to portray him as the country's saviour.

The tweet read: "I knew this would happen...@SkyNews now reporting Tommy Robinson banned from Instagram and Facebook ....this comes directly from the BBC. The reason he's racist to Muslims.

(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

"This corruptness needs to stop Tommy is a Patriot. RT & TWEET about this disgraceful injustice."

However Cllr Bowles has been defiant in the face of the backlash and the retweet remains on his Twitter profile - while he claims that he is merely supporting 'free speech'.

Councillor Hook from Swale, Kent, said: "I was very shocked that Andrew would retweet someone supporting Tommy Robinson.

"[Robinson] is a convicted criminal, a well-documented racist and has a history of violence and inciting hatred towards people on account of their religion.

"The right to free speech is not the right to be given a platform.

(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

"Facebook is a private company and if they want to say that he's breaking their rules and they don't want his custom, they have the right to do that.

"I was astonished that Mr Bowles seemed to be supporting Robinson and having a go at Facebook for banning him.

"People will get the impression that it's a bit of a dog whistle and that with the local elections coming up in eight weeks' time, that he's trying to say to Tommy Robinson supporters 'we're on your side. Come and vote Conservatives'.

"If that's not the case, he should come out and say he opposes Tommy Robinson and I completely reject his views and I'm not inviting his supporters to vote Conservative.

(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

"I would have no hesitation myself in saying I would not want Tommy Robinson supporters to vote Liberal Democrats because we are completely opposed to everything that he stands for.

"If he fails to do that then people are going to draw inferences about what his agenda is here."

Hannah Perkin is a Lib Dem activist and member of Cllr Bowles' constituency who said she was 'appalled' by his retweet.

Hannah, from Swale, Kent, said: "I think the Conservative Party need to be taking this very seriously.

"They should publish a statement condemning the support of Tommy Robinson and that it does not represent the views of the council. I would like to see Kent County council remove the Whip from councillor.

"I agree that we are lucky to live in the country where we are all able to say what we want and we should always fight for that right, however, freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequence.

While Fiona Webb said: "This is incorrect. He's been banned because he's a convicted violent criminal who's made a fortune out of social media, and for his extreme right wing hate speech (big difference between freedom of speech and hate speech).

"I anticipate your resignation, Mr Bowles."

(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

Cllr Bowles has stood firm in his belief that 'censorship is never right' and is 'a slippery slope' and claims he wasn't intending to support Robinson or be provocative, but 'supporting the process of free speech'.

After facing a flurry of angry tweets from social media users, Andrew asked one woman, 'have you learnt nothing from the 1930s in Germany?'

Cllr Bowles said: "As an old fashioned liberal with a small 'l' I believe totally in free speech, censorship is a slippery path.

"I believe any views, particularly the more obnoxious they are, need the oxygen of publicity so the public can judge them.

"I wasn't supporting him, I was supporting the process of free speech.

"Any comments that seek to encourage violence are obviously and quite rightly subject to legal action.

"I abhor some of the quotes sent to me credited to this gentleman [Tommy Robinson] though I have no ability to ascertain their authenticity.

"I regret the Twitter storm conducted by trolls on both sides of the debate, the descent to personal abuse and threats and the attempt to frighten people into not expressing their views.

"I wasn't trying to be provocative, I was just standing steadfast in my belief in freedom of speech."