An investigation has been launched into the leaking of a video which showed a Leicestershire councillor making "unacceptable" comments about Muslim prayer in schools. 

The chief executive of Leicestershire County Council, Jane Moore, confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the council is looking into how the video was released and that it takes the leak "extremely seriously" because it was "private". 

In a statement, she said: "Sharing footage from a private meeting is something we take extremely seriously, and we would always investigate if this happens." 

Her comments follow the leaking of the video from an internal county council counter-terrorism meeting which showed a number of council officers and councillors. 

During this meeting, Councillor Carl Abbott, Reform cabinet member for adult social care, said he was "worried" about "seeing children in primary schools being taught to pray the Muslim way." 

His comments drew heavy criticism from opposition members who called them "inappropriate" and "unacceptable". 

In the video, Cllr Abbott added: "When I went to school, we went into assembly, we sang hymns and were taught the Christian way. 

"It bothers me if the government is allowing this to be taught in school; does it not start the radicalisation of these children? Will we see a further increase in crimes, etc, as these children grow up?" 

During the meeting, Cllr Abbott said he "personally did not agree with it" and that he was "expressing the concerns of his constituents". 

Charnwood Borough Council Labour leader, Jewel Miah, who was also at the meeting, issued a rebuttal saying that Cllr Abbott was "letting his prejudices show". He added: "I'm 51 years old and remember praying in high school, and here I am. A lot of my friends did as well. And I don't think there's anything that's ever happened. 

"I think yes, if people are going to go bad, they go bad, but you can't tar a whole religion based on your prejudices. 

Cllr Abbott hit back and said he was "not being prejudiced" or "tarring anyone" and was stating a concern "from his residents". The two councillors responded to each other before Cllr Miah branded the comments "shocking". 

Cllr Miah later told the LDRS that Cllr Abbott's comments were "unacceptable" and there was "no evidence" to support his comments. 

Conservative county council opposition leader Deborah Taylor said: "It is inappropriate to suggest that teaching children to pray in accordance with Muslim practice fosters extremism. 

"Muslims are an integral and respected part of our communities. 

"To assert that Muslim prayer is linked to extremism is divisive, deeply concerning, and entirely incompatible with the standards expected of public office. And we are hearing it from a very senior councillor now." 

Naomi Bottomley, Green Party county councillor, said: "Linking Muslim prayer or the teaching of Islam to crime or extremism is deeply Islamophobic and dangerous. 

"It is frankly absurd to suggest that children learning about different religions is something to fear. Education builds understanding, not extremism." 

A Reform UK spokesperson said: "Councillor Abbott is absolutely correct. Britain is and remains a Christian country. 

"He speaks on behalf of millions who are rightly alarmed by the rapid, unchecked transformation of our culture and values driven by successive Tory and Labour governments' obsessions with mass immigration." 

The LDRS contacted leader of Leicestershire County Council, Councillor Dan Harrison, for comment, but he said he could not due to the investigation.