A YORK councillor has been accused of sending a “deeply troubling” message about Nato on social media following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Cllr Rachel Melly said both Russia and Nato had “pursued aggressively militaristic policies” in a tweet.

The Holgate ward councillor linked to an article by pacifist campaigning organisation Peace Pledge Union, which said there had been a refusal by both Vladimir Putin and Nato “to engage in meaningful dialogue".

Cllr Melly’s tweet also said there was “absolutely no justification for Russia’s act of military aggression".

It comes after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told MPs in his party that any of them who attempt to attack Nato or use “false equivalence” over Russian aggression will be kicked out of the party.

“Labour’s commitment to democracy, the rule of law and the sovereignty of independent nations is unshakable,” Sir Keir told a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

He added: “Vladimir Putin is attacking all those things. Nato is defending them. There are groups in this country who haven’t seemed to understand that difference.”

His message came after 11 left-wing Labour MPs were threatened with the loss of the party whip if they didn’t pull support for a Stop the War letter criticising Nato. All withdrew their names.

Nato is a military alliance formed in 1949 by 12 countries who agree to come to one another’s aid in the event of an armed attack against any one member state.

The Liberal Democrat’s Darryl Smalley, executive member for culture, leisure and communities, said: “It’s deeply troubling that a Labour councillor in York has suggested the blame for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine lies anywhere other than with the Russian Government.

“Nato is a defensive alliance founded in the aftermath of the Second World War to secure lasting peace and providing security for one billion people in Europe, Asia and North America.

“To suggest that Nato has pursued ‘aggressively militaristic policies’ is wholly inaccurate and deeply offensive.”

Cllr Smalley called on Cllr Melly to withdraw her comments or be suspended from the local Labour group in light of Sir Keir’s comments.

Labour Group leader Cllr Pete Kilbane said: “I find it disgusting that Liberal Democrats are seeking to use the gravest European humanitarian crisis for decades, and the suffering of the Ukrainian people, to score cheap local party political points.

 “This appears to be an effort to distract from the absence of a functioning Human Rights Board in a Human Rights City.  In contrast, Cllr Melly has been a long term human rights and anti-Putin campaigner, promoting Russian LGBTQ rights through connections with groups there.  

“Additionally, in her professional capacity, she has met with Russian anti-war campaigners, shut down by Putin, in work to promote peace.”

Cllr Melly was set to join other York councillors attending the ‘support Ukraine’ rally in the city on Saturday.

Cllr Melly’s tweet in full reads: “There are no excuses and absolutely no justification for Russia’s act of military aggression. Militarism and war cannot be defeated with more militarism and war, but the opportunity to build peace was missed, as both Russia and NATO have pursued aggressively militaristic policies.”