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A suspended Tory councillor cannot be sacked by Warwick District Council for sending an offensive tweet about gypsies.

Cllr Nick Harrington has been suspended from the local Conservative group on the council and faces a police investigation after the online message was sent on the social media website during the Eurovision song contest on Saturday night.

The tweet said: “#Eurovision2017. Thanks Ireland. You can keep your f’king gypsies!”

It added that a “hard border” was coming - a reference to stricter border controls behind the UK and Ireland post-Brexit.

The local Conservative Party and Warwickshire Police are investigating the incident, but Warwick District Council said it could not remove Cllr Harrington because he is an elected member and not an employee.

It added that other sanctions were available but it had put any possible action on ice until the outcome of the police action was clear.

A statement issued via the council website read: “Following the tweet made by Councillor Harrington on the evening of Saturday 13 May, Warwick District Council received a significant number of tweets and e-mails of complaint, enquiring what the council was going to do about the matter.

“Councillor Harrington has been elected by the residents of Stoneleigh and Cubbington ward and is therefore a councillor of Warwick District Council.

“Councillor Harrington is not employed by Warwick District Council. Where a complaint has been made against the actions or behaviour of a councillor, the council has a procedure in place to investigate the complaint and ultimately sanction him or her if the complaint is upheld.

“However, the council has no power to suspend or dismiss the councillor from his elected role.

“The council has been advised that Councillor Harrington’s tweet is under investigation by Warwickshire Police as a potential hate crime. Consequently, the council will await the outcome of that investigation before it considers any further action.

“Entirely separate to the council’s actions, the Leader of the Conservative Group, Councillor Andrew Mobbs, has suspended Councillor Harrington from the Group for six months. It is also understood that the Conservative Party itself will be investigating the matter.”

Cllr Harrington also volunteers as a magistrate and is director at Leamington based company Ambay Software.

His controversial tweet gained 11 retweets and 13 likes, along with scores of condemnations.

The Telegraph has tried to contact Cllr Harrington for comment.

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