A SENIOR Labour councillor does not regret calling Britain a "junior partner" in the Second World War.

Cllr Kevin McKeon made the comments during a debate about Brexit at a council meeting on Wednesday night.

Labour's chief whip described the belief that Britain stood alone in the Second World War as a “foundational myth” of Leave voters.

He said: “We didn’t stand alone. We won the war because the Americans and the Russians helped us. They won the war. In the end, we were just junior partners. We continue to be junior partners. That is the attitude of the Leaver ­– refusal to accept the realities of history.”

While he was speaking, Tory councillor Andy Morgan shouted across the benches saying, “you don’t know what I think”.

The comments have caused a stir on social media as footage from the meeting appeared online.

Bolton West MP Chris Green said he was "shocked" to see the Horwich North East councillor's "dismissive" comments.

Speaking to The Bolton News, Cllr McKeon said he did not regret his comments but they may have been "unwise".

He said: “I think it was accurate. We did not win the war on our own and we did not win it without America and Russia. I’m disappointed in the reaction of a minority of people.

"I was trying to put the debate within a wider context of modern British history and tried to explain where I think Britain’s position is in the world and the possible mistakes people can make by looking back into history and misinterpreting what they see."

He described Britain's role in defeating Hitler and the Nazi regime as "very crucial".

He also mentioned that his father and uncles served in the Second World War.

Cllr McKeon added: “I made these remarks as part of my argument against those Brexiteers who use the historical memory of, 'Britain standing alone', to suggest that, alone and out of the EU, we have a bright future.  It is my belief that the UK prospers best in cooperation with others, in an alliance such as the EU.”