Mayor of Bath resigns over retweet row
Dr Bharat Pankhania had previously apologised after sharing posts on X about an arson attack on Jewish-run ambulances in London
The Mayor of Bath has resigned after retweeting “abhorrent” posts on X about the arson attack on Jewish volunteer-run ambulances in Golders Green.
Dr Bharat Pankhania, the 798th Mayor of Bath, retweeted a post on his personal account on X (formerly Twitter) which called the arson last week an Israeli false flag operation. He has published a full apology on X and deleted the tweets, which he said were “abhorrent” and did not align to his beliefs.
He has now offered his resignation as Mayor of Bath. Dr Pankhania is the first holder of the office to resign since 1937. Created by Richard the Lionheart in 1189, the Mayor of Bath is today a purely ceremonial role held for a year at a time by one of the councillors on Bath and North East Somerset Council who represent a ward within the city.
Dr Pankhania has been a Liberal Democrat councillor for Combe Down since 2019, but was suspended by the political group and set to take training in “equalities and social media conduct” following the retweets. On Monday (March 30), he offered his resignation from the Liberal Democrat group alongside his resignation as Mayor of Bath.
A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat group said: “Both these resignations have been accepted. Councillor Pankhania again apologised for his interactions on X, and reiterated that he has spent his life working with all communities, whilst acknowledging the hurt he had caused.
“In resigning, councillor Pankhania is taking clear personal responsibility for his actions. As a group and as a party, we reject discrimination wherever it occurs and reiterate our stance against antisemitism.”
Dr Pankhania remains a councillor for Combe Down on Bath and North East Somerset Council, but is not a part of a political group. Deputy Mayor Ian Halsall and some other Bath councillors will cover all civic engagements until the ceremony to choose the next Mayor of Bath on June 6.
Dr Pankhania had reposted a post which referred to the burning of the ambulances as an “Israel false flag” and which said: “People are now asking why do the Jewish community have their own private ambulances in the UK?” He also reposted two posts suggesting the burning of the Hatzola ambulances was insurance fraud.
Established in London following the deaths of Jewish people waiting for ambulances, Hatzola is a volunteer-led ambulance service which responds to anyone within its area who needs help, whether Jewish or not.
In his apology posted on X, Dr Pankhania said: “I have been made aware that I have reposted or replied to some posts which have never aligned to my values and beliefs, and which are abhorrent. I am incredibly apologetic that I have not lived up to the standards I set myself. I have of course deleted them, and I wish to apologise unreservedly.”
He later told the Local Democracy Service: “I am very sorry and upset. I made a mistake in retweeting not realising that retweeting is endorsement. There is no way I hate people or other religions. It is pure and simple a mistake on my part and that’s why I immediately apologised and withdrew my retweets.”
Four ambulances run by Hatzola were set on fire in Golders Green, an area in London with a large Jewish community, in the early hours of March 23. Police are treating it as an antisemitic hate crime. Two men who were arrested in connection with the incident on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life have now been released on strict bail conditions while the investigation continues.