TORY CANDIDATE FALLS ON THE SWORD AND RESIGNS AFTER RACIST SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS

A Tory has resigned after comments unearthed on Facebook that were branded racist and sexist.

Antony Calvert, Conservative candidate for the key marginal seat of Wakefield, stood down after the comments were revealed, saying he would not “countenance a situation” where the Tory Party was “even marginally distracted” from the key themes of the election.

Mr Calvert’s candidacy was put under review last week when talk radio unearthed comments that included one criticising the looks of Labour’s candidate Mary Creagh.

In a post from 2010 he said: “Can’t believe just how shocking Mary Creagh looks on TV. Obviously the BBC make up dept don’t work on Sunday.”

In another post from 2011 he said if former Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi wanted to “wander the streets unrecognised he should surely have fled to Bradford”.

Other posts were also uncovered by  newspaper The Sunday Times as they unearthed controversial comments about food banks ahead of the 2015 general election, saying

“if ever there was a reason to be involved in public office” it was to expose “ludicrous” claims of food poverty in the UK