Councillor suspended over remark

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A councillor has been suspended by the Welsh Conservative party after it was alleged he made a racist remark about a job candidate.

It has been reported that a Labour Monmouthshire councillor made a complaint about John Major over a comment he made following a meeting.

A spokesman for the Conservative party in Wales said Mr Major, who represents the Mill ward, would be investigated.

The former chairman of Monmouthshire council is from Caldicot.

It is alleged Mr Major made the comment following a councillors' meeting to appoint a new chief executive at Monmouthshire council.

It was filed by councillor Armand Watts, who was present at the meeting of around ten other county councillors.

A spokesman for the Welsh Conservative Party confirmed Mr Major had been suspended by Monmouthshire council's Conservative group because of the claims, pending further investigations.

He said: "We take these sorts of allegations very seriously. Mr Major will be suspended while the matter is thoroughly investigated."

Mr Major sits on the Strong Communities select committee and Co-ordinating Board committee and is the vice chairman of the council's planning committee.

The South Wales Argus reported that the leader of Monmouthshire council Peter Fox would also be investigating the incident.