A CONSERVATIVE councillor from Middlewich has accused politicians and the general public of launching a witch hunt against sacked MP Ann Winterton.

Clr Dave Sutton, deputy chairman of the Congleton Conservative Association, has resolutely defended Mrs Winterton and while he admits her comments were 'unwise', he is at pains to point out that she is not a racist.

Mrs Winterton, 61, was removed from her post as shadow rural affairs minister by Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith after telling a racist joke at a Congleton Rugby Club dinner on Friday, May 3.

The joke, which told of an Englishman throwing a Pakistani off a train because 'they are ten-a-penny in this country', shocked guests at the dinner and led Mrs Winterton to apologise almost immediately for the remark.

Clr Sutton said: "Ann Winterton has apologised for the joke that was told at the rugby club and while it was undoubtedly unwise, it is clear that certain people are after blood and now that Mrs Winterton has been sacked it seems that is still not enough.

"Ann is not a racist and helps the people in her constituency no matter of their sex, race, creed or colour. I challenge anyone to say that they have not told a joke sometime in their life that has been at the expense of someone else."

He added: "The events at Burnley have turned this into a witch hunt with Ann now being portrayed as some kind of evil racist and some people are even going after her husband Nick as well.

"This is clearly just a way of diverting the attention away from other events and trying to make out once again that the Conservative party is racist."

Clr Bill Morris, a Conservative councillor elected last week, said: "Ann Winterton has apologised for the joke that was told at the rugby club.

"Her apology for her lapse in judgement was never going to be enough for the opposition and she has paid the penalty."

He added: "Ann is not a racist and helps the people in her constituency irrespective of their sex, race, creed or colour.

"The high profile of the BNP after last week's elections meant that anyone making a comment that could be construed as even remotely racist would have ended up with the same penalty."

ghellam@guardiangrp.co.uk