COUNCILLORS in Bradford have dismissed claims from Nigel Farage that the city is divided by "sectarian" politics similar to those that "plagued" Northern Ireland.

The Ukip leader also stated that the Labour Party was using anti-Israel sentiment to "get all the Muslim votes in this country."

He also criticised Naz Shah, Labour MP for Bradford West, who was suspended by the party on Wednesday for offensive anti-Semitic social media posts made in 2014, before she was an MP.

Ms Shah shared an image on Facebook of the outline of Israel superimposed on a map of the USA, under the heading "Solution for Israel-Palestine Conflict - Relocate Israel into United States."

She used a point of order in the House of Commons to acknowledge she had made a "mistake" and offered a "wholehearted" apology, but Mr Farage labelled her comments "completely unacceptable."

Mr Farage said: "The Left have always been strongly pro-Palestinian to the extent that many of them don't think the state of Israel should actually exist.

"But I do feel that that begins to spill over sometimes into the word Israel being used as cover for what is a form of anti-Semitism.

"What has happened, and I think what has happened in Bradford, is that left-wing support and sympathy for anti-Israel/anti-Israeli views has now become allied to a very big growth in the Muslim vote in this country.

"I think what you have in Bradford is sectarian politics, and I loathe it because if we think about the other part of the United Kingdom that has been plagued by sectarian politics, it is called Northern Ireland, with Protestant v Catholic, and look where that has got us.

"So, I'm worried that the left of the Labour Party have always had this view.

"They are now linking it in in a desperate attempt to get all the Muslim votes in this country and I think we are in a bad place."

None of the district's MPs, including Ms Shah, responded to the Telegraph & Argus when asked for their views on Mr Farage's comments today.

Councillor David Green, the leader of Bradford Council, said: "I am not sure the last time Mr Farage was in Bradford for any length of time, so he is clearly talking on this, as with many other things, from a position of ignorance.

"The Labour Party is fighting for the working-class people of Bradford regardless of their race, colour, or religion.

"We always do our best to represent everyone of all faiths and cultures.

"To do any less would be a betrayal to the founding principles of our party."

Simon Cooke, leader of the Conservative Group on Bradford Council, also criticised the claims made by Mr Farage.

"This is another London-based politician sounding off about Bradford without having the decency to come here and understand the situation," he said.

"Yes, we have problems, but his comments are unacceptable.

"It is reprehensible to imply that all Muslims are anti-Israel and anti-Semitic, and they are exactly the same kind of comments he is criticising people for.

"The comments are unhelpful and unpleasant, and bordering on anti-Muslim."

The Bradford Synagogue Council has come out in support of Ms Shah in recent days, with its chairman Rudi Leavor stating she was a "friend of the Jews."

In reference to her comments, he said: "She said it, but I'm sure she didn't mean it.

"It was directed against Israel, not the Jewish people. There is a difference between being anti-Israel and anti-Semitic."

Tom Watson, deputy leader of the Labour Party, said yesterday that its rules and procedures could be changed to ensure it had a "zero-tolerance" approach to anti-Semitism.