A FAR-RIGHT councillor was today seriously reconsidering' his position in his party after a blasphemous' video link was posted by the group's leader on their website.

Coun Michael Johnson, who represents Fernhurst on Blackburn with Darwen Council for the England First Party (EFP), is to hold a crisis meeting with the leader of the party, Coun Mark Cotterill, today.

The move came after Coun Johnson was challenged by council leader, Coun Kate Hollern, at a meeting of the full council about the footage signposted from the home page of the EFP's own website to video sharing site, YouTube.

Coun Johnson said he had not seen the video which depicts Jesus making an offensive hand gesture and hurtful remarks about Islam.

He distanced himself from the footage, said he found it "personally offensive" and wanted to meet Coun Cotterill about his future with the far-right group.

Coun Cotterill, who was not at the meeting, told the Telegraph he posted the video link because he thought it was "amusing".

When asked whether it gave ammunition to those who believed his party was racist, he said: "I don't bloody care."

During the council meeting Coun Hollern took Coun Johnson to her office and showed him the footage.

When he returned to the chamber he apologised for the material.

Coun Johnson, said: "I will not resign as a councillor. But I am seriously re-considering my position with England First.

"I am a nationalist and I make no bones about that, but I am not a racist.

"I have done a lot of work with the party to bring it into the fold as a serious party, but this is political suicide.

"I personally find the video offensive, so will my family and my constituents."

He insisted the video had not been made by the party but said it had been naive for his leader to have posted the link.

Couns Cotterill and Johnson were elected to the council in May, they immediately came under fire with critics labelling the party as racist and extreme.

Coun Cotterill said the video link had been on the website for about a week.

He added: "Somebody sent me the link, I had a look at it, and thought it was quite amusing, so I told our webmaster to put it up.

"If I see something I think is amusing we will link it for a period of time."

The Bishop of Blackburn, the Right Rev Nicholas Reade, said: "I was very disappointed to see the images on this YouTube clip.

"They are clearly not only offensive propaganda against the Muslim faith but also contain a deeply disrespectful and morally outrageous image of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"The Christian churches in Lancashire are working hard with people of all faiths and goodwill to create peace and harmony across the county.

"These images do not promote such peace and harmony and are profoundly disrespectful to both the Islamic and Christian faiths."

Coun Salim Mulla, who represents the Queen's Park ward and is also secretary of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, said the depiction of Jesus was blasphemous.

"Jesus Christ is regarded as one of the prophets of Islam.

"I am outraged and angry about this. Things like this cause friction in the community."

Coun Kate Hollern, leader of the council, said: "It's an absolute disgrace.

"I am a Catholic and I find it offensive, it is an insult to Christianity and Islam using that image."

She said she thought it amounted to inciting racial hatred.

Colin Rigby, leader of the Tory opposition, said: "I think it's in appalling bad taste, it's disgraceful it slanders both Christians and Muslims.

"They are undoubtedly a racist party, it's difficult not to say otherwise after things like this."