An Essex county councillor has been chastised by the Tory leader of the council for equating VE Day with the day the UK leaves the EU.

Non-aligned councillor Kerry Smith, who was initially elected as a UKIP councillor before quitting the party in 2014 and who is also a Basildon district councillor, incurred the wrath of Councillor David Finch after asking whether “on Brexit Day (29 March 2019) will Essex County Council be fully supporting communities across the county celebrate our liberation from the EU with the same spirit of V.E. Day?”

The question was posed yesterday when 100 RAF planes representing the centenary year of the RAF flew over Chelmsford as part of its 100th birthday celebrations.

Credit: British Pathe

Mr Finch, leader of ECC, replied: “It is of course for the Government to decide if any formal national commemoration of Brexit takes place.

“However, conflating Brexit with the end of the Second World War is both wrong and inappropriate.

“During the Second World War the Royal Air Force lost over 70,000 personnel.

“This question, tabled on the day where we will witness a magnificent flypast as part of the RAF’s centenary celebrations honouring all those that have served, trivialises their sacrifice.

“My thoughts and condolences are with the families and friends of all branches of the armed forces who have lost loved ones in service to our country.”

Mr Smith said that Mr Finch's comments did not represent that of his party, and that his comments were divisive against him.

He said: "The whole point of a celebration is to give those people who voted for the liberation of this country from Europe a chance to celebrate in the same spirit as veterans day.

"This area was hugely in favour of Brexit and I just want to give my constituents the opportunity have a street party if they so wish.

"All Mr Finch had to say was a simple yes, no or I don't know, but instead all he has done is show that he is clearly out of touch with the people of Essex, and especially the people of Basildon."

Essex had the third highest leave vote by a district in the EU referendum in Castle Point, but the rest of Essex also voted overwhelmingly to leave.

The most pro EU district was Uttlesford, where just 49.3 per cent of people voted to stay.