Farage facing calls to suspend candidate who claimed Jews to blame for Muslim immigration
Ben Aston, standing in Bournemouth West, wrote in a now deleted post:'Many of the powerful groups agitating for the mass import into England of Muslims from the Third World are Jewish'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Nigel Farage is facing calls to suspend a Reform UK candidate who blamed powerful Jewish groups for “agitating” to bring “third world Muslims” into Britain.
Ben Aston, standing in Bournemouth West, made the claim in a now deleted post which hit out at Jewish voices complaining about feeling unsafe in this country as a result of pro-Palestine protests.
Responding to the question as to “how are Jews meant to feel safe in the UK?”, Ashton wrote:”“These endless takes from Jews are horrendous. Many of the powerful groups agitating for the mass import into England of Muslims from the Third World are Jewish. The resultant societal problems have been visible for decades.”
In a response to The Times, who discovered Ashton’s anti-Jewish rant, a Reform spokesman said its candidates were “not party political zombies” and that the party was “proud that they think and speak like the ordinary people they are”.Aston, who is picking up some support in the seat, replaced Reform candidate Peter Storms, ousted after sharing content from Britain First, a far-right group.
Sir Conor Burns, a Northern Ireland minister under Boris Johnson and business minister under Liz Truss, won the constituency for the Conservatives in 2010, confirmed he has now written to Farage complaining about Ashton’s post.
He told The Times: “These comments are antisemitic and hugely offensive. Decent people will be repelled by them. Reform are raising totally legitimate issues and I find myself in some sympathy with some of them. However, Aston is clearly a nasty bigot.
“I have known Nigel Farage for almost three decades and know he will have no truck with them. He can act decisively and suspend his candidate, condemn his remarks and urge his supporters not to vote for Aston in Bournemouth West.”
Aston, 43, works for an online advertising company and stood as an independent candidate in the neighbouring Bournemouth East constituency in 2019.
Meanwhile, the BBC also reported that eight Reform UK candidates have made a wide range of offensive remarks online about women in the past.
The remarks include disparaging comments about the murdered MP Jo Cox, former Prime Minister Theresa May, and a black reality TV contestant.
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