Controversial Ipswich Councillor Steve Flood has been expelled from the Conservative Party after retweeting Islamophobic posts - but plans to retain his seat on the authority.

Mr Flood was suspended by the party in August after we revealed he had retweeted two posts that were Islamophobic - one calling for Islam to be banned in the UK.

His retweets sparked anger across the political spectrum - and prompted Ipswich Conservative MP Tom Hunt to say such views had no place in a mainstream political party.

A statement by the Ipswich Conservative Association said: “Following the conclusion of an investigation, Mr. Flood has been expelled from the Conservative Party.”

He has 14 days to decide whether to appeal the decision.

Mr Flood indicated that he has still to decide whether to lodge an appeal - but whatever happens he does intend to remain as councillor for Sprites Ward either as a Conservative or as an Independent.

He was elected for the seat in 2021 and is due to face re-election in 2024.

After hearing of the expulsion, Mr Hunt said the expulsion had been a matter for the local association - and that he did not want to add anything further to his statement in August.

Ipswich Council has been told Mr Flood is now no longer a member of the Conservative group and will be sitting as an independent.

Labour council leader David Ellesmere said: "This is the right decision by Ipswich Conservatives but I can’t understand why it has taken them so long.

"Quite frankly the Islamophobic social media posts retweeted by Steve Flood were just the tip of the iceberg.

"Given the sort of stuff he was regularly posting and retweeting it beggars belief that no one from Ipswich Conservatives took action against him earlier. Steve Flood now needs to do the decent thing and resign from the Council completely."

Mr Flood is the second Conservative councillor to leave the group after getting in trouble with social media this year. In March Gainsborough Councillor Shayne Pooley was suspended after supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Facebook.

He was suspended to allow time for training by the party - but has not rejoined the Conservative group and continues to sit as an independent councillor.