A COUNCILLOR said his son was guilty of “youthful stupidity” after he likened young Conservatives to the Nazi term Sonderkommando.

Mirfield man David Bolt, 20, has been suspended from Conservative Future after comparing the group’s election strategy with Jewish prisoners forced to dispose of the dead in Nazi extermination camps.

Yesterday his father Martyn – deputy leader of Conservatives on Kirklees Council – explained that his son had not understood the historical meaning of the term Sonderkommando.

Clr Bolt said: “He overheard a conversation in a pub between two ex-Army officers who were talking about the Sonderkommando Hypo in Austria.”

The group was set up last year to investigate bank crime.

Clr Bolt said: “Apparently the term Sonderkommando is still used in Austria and Germany to mean special forces.”

However, the term also refers to groups of Jewish prisoners who were forced to dispose of the dead in Nazi extermination camps during the Holocaust.

David Bolt, who was chair of Conservative Future in West Yorkshire, used the term in an email to fellow activists last month.

He wrote: “In effect, we will form a CF Sonderkommando which will be available to blitz any areas which battleground PPCs (prospective parliamentary candidates) particularly wish to target, whether that be through canvassing, literature drops or visible, high-impact campaigning.

“It is time to intensify our assault on these most vulnerable of target seats, and follow the precept of Sun Tzu: ‘so in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.’”

But Clr Bolt said yesterday that his son was not aware of the history of the term.

The Mirfield councillor said: “It was youthful stupidity, it’s something he bitterly regrets. He used a word he had overheard without checking if it had any historical connotations.

“Had he done some basic research, I’m sure he wouldn’t have used that phrase. I’ve had a word with him telling him to always check background facts before making a statement.”

David Bolt was suspended from the Conservatives when party leaders found out about the email.

Leeds North East Labour MP Fabian Hamilton, who is Jewish, condemned the use of the term Sonderkommando as “deeply offensive”.

But Clr Bolt pointed out yesterday that the term is commonly used in Austria. He said: “I don’t know if Fabian Hamilton is suggesting we should break off relations with Austria.”

Clr Khizar Iqbal, independent Parliamentary candidate for Dewsbury, called on his Conservative opponent to distance himself from David Bolt’s comments.

Clr Iqbal said: “The remarks made by David Bolt were unfortunate and could be construed as being offensive. I do hope the Conservative candidate for Dewsbury, Simon Reevell, will be disassociating himself from these comments.”

Mr Reevell said: “Everyone should make sure that they don’t use any sort of language that might offend anyone else.

“If someone does use offensive language it’s important to distinguish between it’s deliberate and accidental use. If David Bolt has used an expression that he didn’t fully understand then he should be criticised, but he shouldn’t be treated as someone who set out to offend.”

David Bolt, who is studying music at the University of Huddersfield, took a history ‘A’ Level at Heckmondwike Grammar.

His father said: “I’d rather that he stuck to his degree but he wanted to go into politics.”

It is the second time this year that students at the university have been involved in a Nazi row.

Last month the university decided not to take action against students Nick Rowley and Anthony Pike who set up a Hitler drinking game on Facebook.

Yesterday a university spokesman said there were no plans to take action against David Bolt.