Alex Catt, who once led the Norwich Green group, accused Labour of using Norwich City Council's disciplinary procedures for "party political" purposes after it pursued a complaint against him.

He was subjected to the council's first standards hearing for five years over his social media posts, which accused Labour of running a "transphobic hate campaign".

But after the standards committee ruled he had not broken the council's code of conduct with his comments, he said: "Given the outcome, I believe an apology from those who pursued these allegations would be the right and decent thing to do."

He made the original remarks at the height of the so-called Nazigate affair last year, which was sparked when fellow Green councillor Charlie Caine was accused of shouting "Nazis" at a group of women holding a silent vigil in the city centre.

Charlie Caine was not investigated by the Greens after it emerged he had never joined the party (Image:........

© Norwich Evening News