A Thanet UKIP councillor has apologised for a remark in which she urged London voters to elect “anyone but a Muslim.”

Cllr Sarah Larkins, also deputy mayor of Ramsgate council, offered an unreserved apology for her comments.

In a statement released on her behalf by the leader of Thanet council Chris Wells, she said:
“I wish to offer an unreserved apology for any offence caused by the recent comment made via my Facebook account. I acknowledge this is not party policy, and realise the comment risked blaming a whole religion for the actions of a few.”

The apology comes after criticism of the party for saying that it did not intend to discipline the councillor because she had a “specific perspective” on the issue as a transgender woman.

"I acknowledge this is not party policy, and realise the comment risked blaming a whole religion for the actions of a few" - Thanet UKIP councillor Sarah Larkins

The comment was posted to the party’s LGBTQ Facebook page beneath a picture of a Mayoral candidates “Pride in London” hustings last week.

Cllr Larkins appeared to recognise the possible controversy she was likely to trigger by posting another comment shortly after to say “Je Suis Bruxelles et Paris.

UKIP in Thanet has previously had to expel a former council candidate Rozanne Duncan who was alleged to have made racist comments during the filming of a documentary about the party.

She was forced out after appearing in a fly-on-the-wall documentary in which she said: "The only people I do have problems with are negroes. And I don't know why."