A black councillor has demanded an apology after a clash with Harrow Council's Tory leader over the cost of housing political refugees.
Cllr Pravin Shah has written to Cllr Ron Grant who claimed that homeless people from abroad were contributing to the rise in Harrow's poll tax.
The angry exchange of letters came after Cllr Grant said at the council meeting to set the poll tax: "Harrow must take responsibility for a number of homeless people in the borough who emanate from other parts of the country but also abroad, including political refugees."
Labour's Cllr Pravin Shah countered: "That is my people you are talking about."
But Cllr Grant retorted: "Not unless your are a Somali."
Cllr Grant then added: "The council should not be forced to take them on without more resources. There is the cost of housing them, as well as the strain on schools and social services."
Cllr Shah's letter to Cllr Grant states: "You very well know that as a black person i do not consider Somalis any different from myself. I need a public apology, not only to me. but to the Somalis.

War of words...councillors Shah and Grant