Disgraced former councillor John Ward has vowed to return “more powerful” than before after being cleared by a national watchdog board.

In a blog entry on his personal website, the self-confessed science fiction fan compares himself to the Star Wars character Obi-Wan Kenobi.

He said: “Like Obi-Wan Kenobi, now that I have been, in a sense, struck down, I have become more powerful than the opposition would have imagined.

“It was much safer for them when I was on the council than it is now, as they will discover in the months to come.”

The ex-Tory councillor, resigned from Medway Council after using his personal website to call for the forced sterilisation of parents on benefits.

For full story see the Friday print edition of the Medway Messenger

*The picture has been digitally manipulated.