SLOUGH councillors stood and clapped for a full minute in respect of the people of Ukraine at a full council meeting.

All members were invited by the mayor, councillor Mohammed Nazir, to join him in 60-second's applause to show solidarity and support to the Ukrainian people and the communities affected by Russia’s “unacceptable” invasion, as well as for those displaced by other wars in the world.

Before the clapping started, the mayor gave a statement on the situation. He said: “Like many people across the world, we are horrified at the attack of Ukraine and our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people, their family, and friends.

“Slough has a long and proud history of welcoming people from across the world and will support all the efforts at home and abroad to help those affected by the situation in Ukraine.”

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All councillors from their respective political parties and council officers stood and clapped for the full minute.

The council will attach its name to a statement released by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions – which represents the interest of Europe’s local and regional governments and their associations in more than 40 countries – that stands in solidarity and supports the people of Ukraine and recognises it is an independent and sovereign country.

Speaking on Wednesday’s extraordinary cabinet meeting, council leader James Swindlehurst said Russia’s invasion and actions in Ukraine had “genuinely shocked”.

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He said: “I think I speak on behalf of the whole cabinet that we absolutely stand with the people of Ukraine against what is a totally unacceptable, aggressive act of invasion and the human toll on this is already appalling.

“It genuinely upsets me every night when I go home and I see the news, and yet you feel like you’ve become desensitised to this type of stuff after years and years but there’s something that feels way too like 1938/1939 rather than where we are in 2022 to not have an impact.

Cllr Swindlehurst urged people who want to help out to contact the Slough Polish Association.