A Reform councillor who previously described the Holocaust as a “hoax” has apologised for his remarks and resigned from the party, just days after being elected.
Jay Cooper was elected to represent the Bootle West ward on Sefton Council in Merseyside at last week’s local elections, securing 705 votes as a candidate for Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
Last year, the councillor made controversial comments about the Holocaust on social media, originally reported by the Liverpool Echo. After sharing an article about the fatal shooting of US commentator Charlie Kirk, he wrote: "Heartbreaking. Murdered for having an opinion." In response to a comment asking whether Adolf Hitler deserved to die for his opinions, Cooper stated he did not agree with the murder of innocent people but called the Holocaust a “hoax” and “propaganda”.
Following his party’s significant gains in the local elections, Nigel Farage visited Merseyside on Friday and declared that Cooper was “not welcome” within Reform. Cooper has since deleted the offending posts from his public Facebook page and issued an apology on Tuesday, confirming his resignation from the party while vowing to continue representing his ward as an independent councillor.
In his Facebook statement, Cooper wrote: “I apologise this has took so long. I want to start by addressing comments I made regarding the Holocaust last year. The Holocaust was real. I was not denying the existence of the camps or the systematic murder carried out by the Nazi regime. I have visited Auschwitz multiple times and have seen firsthand the conditions and historical evidence of those atrocities. My comments were poorly expressed and have understandably caused concern and upset. I was not denying the suffering of millions of victims or the crimes committed by the Nazis. I accept that my words failed to reflect the seriousness and sensitivity this subject demands, and for that I sincerely apologise. I would also like to apologise to anyone who was offended or hurt by my comments. I take full responsibility for my remarks. As a result, I have decided today to resign from Reform UK and continue serving as an independent representative. The people of Bootle West voted for me to be their voice, and I remain committed to serving them honestly and tirelessly. I will be here to listen and be the voice of my constituents. I want to thank everyone who placed their trust in me. Too many people in Bootle still feel ignored, left behind, and unheard. I will continue working every day to justify the confidence shown in me, while also earning the respect of those who did not vote for me. I hope, in time, my actions and service to the community will speak louder than this mistake.”
The Independent has approached Reform UK and Councillor Cooper for comment. The BBC reported that Reform confirmed Cooper had resigned and his party membership had been revoked.
