KEN Pollock, the Tenbury councillor who was subject to a complaint because of tweets supporting Boris Johnson, has slammed some of his critics as ignorant.

The man, who represents Tenbury on Worcestershire County Council, was cleared of falling foul of rules. Mr Pollock who holds an economic development portfolio, found himself in hot water after supporting remarks made by Boris Johnson about Muslim dress in the Daily Telegraph.

“Very pleased to be cleared of any breach of our code of conduct by the County Council chief legal officer,” said Ken Pollock.

“Free speech includes the possibility of causing offence, even unintentionally.

“Islam is a creed, not a race, so to accuse me of racism is just ignorant.”

Mr Pollock said that he had been the victim of criticism.

“Strange to elicit such vitriol from pointing out facts about strange apparel,” he added.

“Can we no longer laugh at each other’s unusual costumes? Kilts, nuns’ wimples, lederhosen, bishops’ gaiters, Morris men with bells on their legs. Laugh at, maybe, but don’t ban them like Denmark.”

The councillor said that he was grateful for support from people including those who are not Conservatives.

“Over many decades, I have worked with, and shared houses with, all sorts of races, and do not recall any conflicts based on beliefs,” said Mr Pollock.

The row all started when Ken Pollock decided to support Boris Johnson with a number of tweets in which he wrote:

“I am Spartacus! Women wearing the Niqab look like letter boxes. Bank robbers would find the Burka a good disguise. The hijab may not have any religious significance, but cultural pressures, especially from men, may make its use more prevalent. I am Spartacus.”

The Tenbury councillor also tweeted: “I don’t think Muslim modes of dress should be made illegal. “I and anyone else should be free to make these sorts of observations without causing offence or giving anyone encouragement to abuse strangers in the street. I am Spartacus!”

In his newspaper column, Mr Johnson said he is against the action taken in Denmark where there is a ban on the wearing of the full-face veil in public. But he agrees with anyone who thought that it is weird and bullying to expect women to cover their faces. “I would go further and say that it is absolutely ridiculous that people should choose to go around looking like letter boxes,” he wrote.