A SCHOOL trust says a councillor was blocked from joining its board of governors due to past comments “about people of the Jewish faith.”

David Ward, (Lib Dem, Bolton and Undercliffe) was this week told he cannot sit on the board of governors for Hanson School in Swain House after parents and other governors raised “concerns”.

Cllr Ward was last week told he could not stand as his party’s Parliamentary candidate for Bradford East after Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron claimed previous comments about Israel by Cllr Ward, a former MP, were “anti-Semitic” and did not represent the views of the party.

Cllr Ward told the Telegraph & Argus he had put himself forward as chair of governors at the meeting on Wednesday, which was set up to form a new governing body for the school. But he was told the board had decided not to allow him on the board due to concerns about views he had expressed in the past.

The Council-run school is working with Gorse Academies Trust to try to turn around its fortunes after poor exam performances and Ofsted results, and has until recently been governed by an interim executive board.

While an MP, Mr Ward was suspended by the Liberal Democrats in 2013 after making a series of remarks questioning the continuing existence of the state of Israel.

He was also forced to apologise in 2014 after suggesting he might fire rockets into Israel if he lived in Gaza.

Local councillors are encouraged to sit on governing bodies of schools in their constituencies, and Cllr Ward has sat on numerous governing bodies. His children had attended Hanson, which is in his ward.

A spokesman for the Gorse Academies Trust explained the decision to the T&A, saying: “Cllr David Ward had been appointed to the governing body by the local authority.

“Prior to the meeting several members of the governing body expressed concern regarding recent comments made by David Ward about people of Jewish faith which were viewed by his own political party as being totally unacceptable and offensive.

“All members of the governing body including colleagues from the local authority were united in their view that such comments are in direct conflict with our determination to continue to build a successful and popular school which embraces and celebrates the backgrounds of all people irrespective of their faith, culture or race.

“The unanimous view of the governing body was communicated to Cllr Ward after which he left the meeting.”

Cllr Ward said the trust’s response to the T&A was the first explanation he had heard for why he was prevented from sitting as governor. He said his previous work was evidence he was not anti-Semitic and added: “I was told it was all down to comments made by parents, but I wasn’t told what these comments were, or allowed to make any comments myself. In my view it is despicable.

“Once again, any criticism of Israel and you are condemned as being anti Semitic. The only allegations of this date from four years ago, and I was cleared of being anti-Semitic by my own party.

“The governing body didn’t have the decency to tell me who had raised these concerns, and I didn’t get a chance to respond to any allegations.

“I’ll be appealing against my party’s decision, and I’m sure I’ll be cleared a second time.

“I’m disappointed that the governing body has responded this way to what is nothing more than a witch hunt.”