Outrage over Sheffield Ukip councillor's '˜Chinese takeaway' jibe

Councillor Jack Clarkson said plans to turn the library into a five-star hotel were a “sham” and said officials had no idea what the building could be used for.

Asked by a fellow councillor to withdraw the remarks Cllr Clarkson refused to do saying: “No I won’t. It could be the biggest Chinese takeaway the city has ever seen.”

Cllr Clarkson made the comments during a meeting of Sheffield City Council, where the plans were being discussed.

He said: “It could be the biggest Chinese takeaway this city has ever seen or it could be a five-star hotel, who knows?”

His comments were labelled “unbelievably offensive” and “outrageous” by Labour councillor Jack Scott, who is responsible for the city’s libraries.

Cllr Scott then asked Cllr Clarkson to withdraw the remark.

He was then asked again by Lord Mayor Denise Fox, who was chairing the meeting, to withdraw the “racist remark”.

Cllr Clarkson said: “I didn’t intend it to be a racist remark. I don’t feel it is a racist remark. There was no offence intended to the Chinese community or anybody.

“It is what the majority of Sheffield people talk like. If that is offensive, then I’m sorry. I think because I’m a Ukip councillor, you are making a meal of this.”

His comments were also condemned by Rebecca Gransbury, who had launched a petition to save the central library.

She said her petition, which has been signed by 10,000 residents, had been carefully worded “to avoid the kind of horrible comments from this gentleman”.

The council said it would rehouse the library if the sale to the Sichuan Guodong Construction company went ahead.