AN Oxfordshire council has accepted to two widely-held definitions of racism in a symbol of 'solidarity'.

South Oxfordshire District Council voted in favour of accepting international definitions of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia at its meeting on Thursday.

Wheatley district councillor Alexandrine Kantor, who proposed the motion, told her fellow councillors accepting the two definitions would be a show of 'solidarity' against racism.

Her motion, seconded by Sam Casey-Rerhaye, said: "Council notes that, by using these definitions, it helps to understand, identify, and tackle anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

"Council holds the right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion as fundamentals but freedom of speech is not an unlimited right, and should not be used to advocate racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence."

The two largest political parties in the UK, the Labour Party and the Conservative Party have respectively been accused of having issues with anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

There has been a recorded rise in the number of anti-Semitic incidents in the UK in recent years.