Councillor quits over false Jewish ambulance posts

A former mayor says he will resign as a councillor, three months after reposting a post on X which called the burning of four ambulances run by a Jewish charity an "Israeli false flag operation".

Dr Bharat Pankhania stepped down from his role as Mayor of Bath in March and apologised "unreservedly" for reposting the content. He also shared two other posts that incorrectly claimed the attack in London was insurance fraud.

He was suspended from the Liberal Democrat party and Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council launched an investigation.

Pankhania announced his resignation as a councillor at a meeting on Thursday and said his action "had caused concern and offence".

In order to resign as councillor, a letter of resignation will need to be submitted to the council's chief executive.

Pankhania, who has represented Combe Down since 2019, told the meeting: "I listened, I reflected, and I accepted responsibility for my mistake."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, three councillors left the chamber as Pankhania began his resignation statement.

He told the meeting his resignation had not been an "easy decision", but said he needed to give "greater priority" to his health and wellbeing.

"Like all of us, I am human and capable of making mistakes and I made a mistake, a momentary error, and shared a social media message before realising its implied subtext. I am sorry I did that and I wish I hadn't.

"I regret the distraction that this caused to the council and to the mayoralty and I stepped back as soon as it was clear that this was the right thing to do," he said.

He added that he sought to serve every resident with "integrity" and "respect" and had a "genuine desire" to improve the city of Bath.

Pankhania served as a Liberal Democrat until he was suspended from the party in March for his actions.

The resignation will likely lead to a by-election later this summer, with the elected councillor serving a short term until the local elections in May next year.

Five people have been charged in connection with the arson attack on the Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green, London, in March.

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