A council leader is to be quizzed tonight over his support of controversial right-wing activist Tommy Robinson.

Swale's Cllr Andrew Bowles leapt to Robinson’s defence after his posts were banned by Facebook and Twitter.

The councillor for Boughton and Courtenay, who was temporarily suspended by the Conservative Party, always maintained he was only supporting freedom of speech.

But Independent Sittingbourne councillor Monique Bonney (West Downs) will tonight accuse him of bringing the council into disrepute.

She has tabled a question at full council about the “highly inappropriate post” and will ask: “Does the Leader agree he has brought this council into disrepute?”

An advance copy of his reply indicates he will hit back hard – suggesting that those who complained could be said to have brought the authority into disrepute.

He said: “I was expecting a question on this matter.

"I do believe strongly in the right to free speech, not only as the inalienable right of a human being but also for the more mundane reason..." Cllr Bowles

“In fact, I would have taken a bet on which member would have put it on the agenda.”

He insisted: “I do not accept that either the post was highly inappropriate or that it has brought this council into disrepute.

“Whilst having no sympathy with racism or Islamophobia, I do believe strongly in the right to free speech, not only as the inalienable right of a human being but also for the more mundane reason that open debate and discussion are generally the best guarantor a free society has against bigotry and hatred.”

Monitoring officers at both Swale and Kent County Council, where he is also a councillor, ruled there was no “public interest” in taking further action.

Cllr Bowles was reinstated by the Tories after he apologised to anyone who was “unintentionally offended” by the retweet.

He added: “I personally believe an argument could be made that the two individuals, not currently members of this authority who submitted the original complaints to both Conservative Central Office and Kent County Council for what were plainly politically purposes, could be construed as having brought Swale council into disrepute.”

He added: “I can state that since my suspension has been lifted, I have been actively canvassing on the doorstep and have to say that my personal approval rating has never been as high!”

The meeting starts at 7pm.

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