Hundreds sign petition calling for Brighton councillor’s resignation after Armed Forces tweet

Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for the resignation of a Green councillor who labelled Armed Forces personnel “hired killers”.

Ben Duncan, who represents Queens Park on Brighton and Hove City Council, wrote the comments on Twitter as thousands lined the city streets for Armed Forces Day.

After receiving pressure from within his own party and beyond, Cllr Duncan apologised.

A petition calling for his resignation has now been set up and has received more than 800 signatures in a matter of hours.

The petition, started by Brighton-based Jenny Mulligan, said: “It is one thing to question the legitimacy of going to war. It is quite another to insult the men and women who sacrifice life and limb so that we enjoy peace, freedom of speech and democracy.”

Cllr Duncan, who stood for Parliament for the Greens in Brighton Kemptown at the general election in 2010, wrote on Twitter: “Armed Forces Day has certainly brought the hired killers onto the streets of Brighton today. Hard to explain to my son.”

The comments caused outrage from across the country.

He later apologised on the social media website, adding: “Apols for offence caused by tweet re soldiers on streets. Many will have been remembering loved ones who died & was insensitive to their loss.”