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'Extreme' blog councillor resigns | 'Extreme' blog councillor resigns |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A Medway councillor has resigned after claiming on his website that there should be compulsory sterilisation for parents on benefits. | A Medway councillor has resigned after claiming on his website that there should be compulsory sterilisation for parents on benefits. |
John Ward prompted comparisons with the Nazis after attacking what he called "professional spongers" whom he claimed "breed for greed". | John Ward prompted comparisons with the Nazis after attacking what he called "professional spongers" whom he claimed "breed for greed". |
The Tory councillor, who lives in Chatham, told BBC South East Today the views were not his own. | The Tory councillor, who lives in Chatham, told BBC South East Today the views were not his own. |
He lifted them from other sites, and has since deleted the page, he added. | He lifted them from other sites, and has since deleted the page, he added. |
When asked if he supported the concept of sterilisation, Mr Ward said: "No. | When asked if he supported the concept of sterilisation, Mr Ward said: "No. |
"I'd hope that before it became such a big problem that the nanny state does impose something like that the way they tend to do, with compulsory ID cards, compulsory whatever." | "I'd hope that before it became such a big problem that the nanny state does impose something like that the way they tend to do, with compulsory ID cards, compulsory whatever." |
'Extreme and unpleasant' | 'Extreme and unpleasant' |
The sentences from Mr Ward's blog said: "I think there is an increasingly strong case for compulsory sterilisation of all those who have a second, (or third, or whatever) child while living off state handouts." | The sentences from Mr Ward's blog said: "I think there is an increasingly strong case for compulsory sterilisation of all those who have a second, (or third, or whatever) child while living off state handouts." |
On Tuesday, he said he had lifted the words from other websites to promote debate, and had been interrupted before he had had a chance to make that clear on the web page he then published. | On Tuesday, he said he had lifted the words from other websites to promote debate, and had been interrupted before he had had a chance to make that clear on the web page he then published. |
Adding that he had resigned, he said he felt "delighted", with a "weight lifted from his shoulders". | Adding that he had resigned, he said he felt "delighted", with a "weight lifted from his shoulders". |
But councillor Bill Esterson, from Medway's Labour group, said: "It had nothing to with the benefits culture issue. | But councillor Bill Esterson, from Medway's Labour group, said: "It had nothing to with the benefits culture issue. |
"It had everything to do with some extreme and very unpleasant views about forced sterilisation of people - the sort of thing that happens in totalitarian regimes, that happened in Nazi Germany." | "It had everything to do with some extreme and very unpleasant views about forced sterilisation of people - the sort of thing that happens in totalitarian regimes, that happened in Nazi Germany." |
Political blogger Iain Dale said: "The problem is if you're writing a blog and you get angry about something, you're anger transmits itself from your brain through your fingertips on to the keyboard and on to the internet. | Political blogger Iain Dale said: "The problem is if you're writing a blog and you get angry about something, you're anger transmits itself from your brain through your fingertips on to the keyboard and on to the internet. |
"Ten minutes later, you might think 'maybe I've gone a bit over the top there', but it's too late. | "Ten minutes later, you might think 'maybe I've gone a bit over the top there', but it's too late. |
"You can amend what you've written, but it's already out there and someone, somewhere, will have found it." | "You can amend what you've written, but it's already out there and someone, somewhere, will have found it." |
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