Solihull councillors resign after ITV investigation exposes racist and sexually explicit remarks

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Play Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently playing live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen Warning: This report from Investigations Editor Daniel Hewitt contains racist and offensive language Three councillors filmed making racist and offensive remarks in an undercover ITV investigation have now resigned - with the final two quitting on Friday. Alan Feeney has stepped down from both Solihull and Birmingham City Councils, while his former Reform UK colleague Jamie Campbell has also resigned. Feeney, who represented Castle Bromwich in Solihull and Shard End in Birmingham, was secretly filmed describing Asian residents as "parasites". In a statement, he offered his "sincere and unreserved apologies", admitting his comments were "wrong, offensive and completely unacceptable". The ITV reporters joined Alan Feeney in Solihull, where he was campaigning to retain his seat on the council. Credit: ITV Exposure He said: "They do not reflect the standards that the public rightly expects from an elected representative, and I take full responsibility for what I said." Feeney insisted the remarks did not reflect his true beliefs, adding that he would undertake "intensive personal analysis" to understand how such sentiments had developed. "There is no excuse for my comments. With responsibility comes accountability, and it is for that reason that I have resigned every post I hold on both Solihull Borough Council and Birmingham City Council," he said. His resignation follows those of fellow Castle Bromwich councillors Chris Whelan and Jamie Campbell, who were also filmed making offensive remarks during the investigation. Whelan resigned on Thursday , while Campbell stepped down on Friday after being filmed suggesting pork chops could be buried to stop a mosque being built. “There's got to be a way of stopping that, like go and buy some pork chops,” Jamie Campbell (pictured) said about a mosque being built. Credit: ITV The three did not respond to ITV's request for comment. Reform UK had initially defended Campbell's comments as a joke in poor taste and said it would take no further action. Campbell later apologised online for any offence caused, insisting he was not racist. All three councillors elected to represent Castle Bromwich in May have now resigned, triggering three by-elections in the Solihull ward. Feeney's departure also means a separate by-election will be required in Birmingham's Shard End ward. In his statement, Feeney said he understood his comments had caused "hurt and anger", particularly among the communities he represented. "Once again, I apologise sincerely and wholeheartedly to my residents, colleagues and everyone affected by my remarks," he said. Cllr Samantha Gethen, Leader of the Opposition, Solihull Council, said: “I want to start by saying sorry to the residents of Castle Bromwich. "You put your trust in three councillors, and the comments reported this week were offensive, hurtful and wrong. They do not reflect the values of Reform, and they do not reflect the standards that you, or I, expect from anyone in public life. To everyone who has been hurt by what was said, I am truly sorry. "All three councillors have now resigned, and that was the right thing to do. Nobody who holds those views should represent the people of Castle Bromwich. "Castle Bromwich is a warm, welcoming and diverse community, and it deserves councillors who work hard for every resident, whatever their name, faith or background. In the by-elections ahead, I will be working to put forward candidates who will do exactly that: people who will listen, show up and earn your trust. "I am proud of what Solihull is, and I am determined that Reform will be a party that represents all of it.” You can watch ITV Exposure - Undercover: A Year in Reform on Sunday, October 18 at 10:20pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Have you heard our podcast Talking Politics? Tom and Robert dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda in every episode…