Ukip candidate Donald Grewar resigns after praising homophobic BNP website post
Ukip's candidate for Newport East has resigned after praising homophobic comments made on an article on the BNP's website.
Donald Grewar quit his candidacy for the Welsh seat following an investigation by Ukip into his behaviour.
A Ukip spokesman said:
Mr Grewar agreed completely with the assessment that his actions, while not malicious, were regrettable. He said he wished the future candidate every success and he was confident the branch would unite behind the new candidate for the greater good of Newport.
The article, which Grewar lent his support to back in 2013, said gay people were "fascist perverts" and "paedophiles". The focus of the article was on the legalisation of same-sex marriage.
Grewar responded to the article:
Well said… sadly this will all come to fruition in the very near future. We need to resist and stand our ground.
In his resignation letter, Grewar said he was sad to be letting his party down but did not apologise for the comments he posted online:
I recognise fully that those comments, and the implications of those comments puts me in breach of the party rules. I had forgotten that I had posted them, but I had.
As such I am tendering my resignation as PPC forthwith. I am truly sorry that my foolishness has caused you, the party and me embarrassment. I wish you, the party and what we all stand for all the best in the elections.
Grewar also used Facebook to voice his support for the English Defence League (EDL). Commenting on an EDL post Grewar said "no surrender to militant Islam or political correctness".