A Reform councillor who claimed the Holocaust was a “hoax” has apologised for his comments and quit the party just days after being elected.

Jay Cooper was elected to represent the Bootle West ward on Sefton Council in Merseyside at last week’s local elections, winning 705 votes standing for Nigel Farage ’s Reform UK.

The councillor last year made comments, originally reported last month by the Liverpool Echo , about the Holocaust on social media after he had shared an article about the fatal shooting of US commentator Charlie Kirk. He wrote: “Heartbreaking.…