'Tory voter with compassion. Who knew!' Council's top boss apologises for BBC Question Time tweet

The chief executive of Tameside council has apologised for comments he made on social media about Tory voters weeks before the local elections.

Steven Pleasant used his official chief executive Twitter account to respond to comments made by a Conservative voter on BBC's Question Time last week. A clip from the TV programme showed an audience member who voted for the Tories telling minister Damian Hinds his government is a 'disappointment'.

In a post that has now been deleted, Pleasant replied on Twitter saying: "She was good. Tory voter with compassion and empathy for others. Who knew !!" It comes as Pleasant prepares to run the borough's local elections on May 5.

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Responding to complaints from Conservative councillors in Tameside, the chief executive apologised to the opposition group on Monday (March 29). However, he explained the views he expressed on social media specifically referred to his frustrations about central government support for refugees.

In an email to Tameside's Tory group, Pleasant said: "The words I used were not considered and I accept I should have worded any sentiments very differently, hence my deletion of the post within minutes of posting. That does not excuse me posting it but hopefully a recognition that it was a mistake on my part."

Commenting on social media last night (Monday March 29), Conservative group leader Doreen Dickinson said Pleasant had 'broken all the ethics'. She has written to the Local Government Association and the Conservative Councillors' Association, but has not formally complained to the council.

Coun Dickinson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she has accepted