A Cabinet Minister and the town’s MP have condemned Keighley Town Council for calling police to eject members of the public who wanted to film one of its meeting.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said the council had “lost the plot” while Keighley MP Kris Hopkins encouraged more people to carry out future protests.

At Thursday’s full council meeting in the town hall, ten members of the public attended having already announced they intended to film the meeting.

Last month Mr Pickles encouraged local councils to allow filming at meetings. This prompted a number of Keighley Town Council’s critics to announce they planned to film the next meeting.

But the council said they would not be allowed due to standing orders in place for council meetings.

When the cameras started rolling on Thursday evening, they were told to stop by Town Mayor, Councillor Sally Walker. When they refused to do so, councillors called the police saying were being threatened by a group of ten people.

The meeting was adjourned while the police persuaded the group to leave, and the meeting eventually continued.

Police said they sent four officers, the usual two that are dispatched on receiving a call and two officers from the neighbourhood policing team, which councillors had called directly.

The two pairs of officers were unaware the other had been dispatched. The objectors claimed as many as ten officers attended.

After hearing about the incident, Mr Pickles tweeted to say: “Keighley town council seems to have lost the plot. A good council is one open to public scrutiny.”

A spokesman for the police said: “Police were called to Keighley Town Hall at about 7pm following a report councillors were being threatened by a group of ten people inside the building.

“Officers from Keighley NPT and response attended the scene to investigate the incident in which it was alleged the ten people in the public gallery had made threats after being asked to leave for filming proceedings.

“After speaking with all parties officers established that despite the situation being heated, no actual threats had been made.

“The ten members of the public eventually left peacefully and no offences were disclosed.”

Elizabeth Mitchell, one of the protesters at the meeting, said: “We weren’t being disruptive or causing a disturbance.

“Most of the people there were over 60. It was absolutely disgraceful and sad for democracy. We need to make sure they are being held accountable.”

Mr Hopkins said: “One must question what Keighley Town Council feels it has got to hide from the public.

“The individuals who sought to film proceedings were local residents, many of them pensioners, with legitimate concerns regarding the deficit and debt levels being run up by the council.

“The decision to call the police was disproportionate and yet another stain on the once-sound reputation of the council.

“Protest is a legitimate part of the democratic process and I hope many other local residents will now get behind them and show that they too will not be bullied. I look forward to another peaceful protest at the next Keighley Town Council meeting and at all future meetings until the council decides to wake up – and grow up.”

Coun Walker refused to comment on the issue when contacted by the Telegraph & Argus, saying the council would discuss the matter with a legal representative in the coming days.