{"id":74607,"date":"2024-06-17T07:17:30","date_gmt":"2024-06-17T07:17:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/17\/reform-candidate-resigns-over-unacceptable-bnp-social-media-comments\/"},"modified":"2024-06-17T07:17:30","modified_gmt":"2024-06-17T07:17:30","slug":"reform-candidate-resigns-over-unacceptable-bnp-social-media-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/17\/reform-candidate-resigns-over-unacceptable-bnp-social-media-comments\/","title":{"rendered":"Reform candidate resigns over ‘unacceptable’ BNP social media comments"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A Reform UK candidate who has resigned after “unacceptable” historical social media comments came to light was at a “difficult and angry time in his life” when he posted them, the party said.<\/p>\n

Grant StClair-Armstrong, who was standing in Saffron Walden, the Essex constituency where Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch was the most recent MP, tendered his resignation on Sunday following reports in The Times<\/a> <\/strong>that he had previously called on people to vote for the British National Party (BNP).<\/p>\n

The newspaper reported that StClair-Armstrong posted a blog in 2010 in which he said: “I could weep now, every time I pick up a British newspaper and read the latest about the state of the UK. No doubt, Enoch Powell would be doing the same if he was alive. My solution \u2026 vote BNP!”<\/p>\n

When The Times contacted Mr StClair-Armstrong about the comments, he said he had “no excuses”.<\/p>\n

“I’ve got no excuses for that,” he said. “I think they’re a disgusting party. I don’t like the English Defence League. I don’t like them.”<\/p>\n

Election latest: Pub registered as political party; Farage to launch Reform manifesto in Wales<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The former candidate also said he would hand in his resignation, adding: “I don’t really see any alternative.”<\/p>\n

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A Reform UK spokesman said: “Some 15 years ago, by his own admission he made some daft, inappropriate comments at a difficult and angry time in his life.<\/p>\n

“He regrets them, and has resigned.”<\/p>\n

Earlier, Reform said the social media comments were “unacceptable”.<\/p>\n

His resignation on Sunday comes just a day before Nigel Farage is due to launch the party’s policies in South Wales on Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n

Last week another Reform candidate apologised<\/a><\/strong> for an old internet post which said Britain should have “taken Hitler up on his offer of neutrality” instead of fighting the Nazis in the Second World War.<\/p>\n

Ian Gribbin, who is standing in the East Sussex seat of Bexhill and Battle, told Sky News that he apologised and withdrew the comments “unreservedly”.<\/p>\n

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He added that he was “upset” at how they had been “taken out of context”, saying his mother was the daughter of Russian Jewish people who fled persecution.<\/p>\n

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Rishi Sunak surprised his opponents when he called an election for 4 July, having previously hinted it would take place later in the autumn.<\/p>\n

Responding to Mr Gribbin’s case at the time, Mr Farage said his party “ran out of time” to properly vet candidates.<\/p>\n

Read more on Sky News:
Euro 2024: England beat Serbia 1-0 in nervy opening match<\/a><\/strong>
Farage to launch ‘contract with the people’ in Wales<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Reform leader claimed all parties “will suffer” from selection controversies because of the speed at which they had to pick people after the election was called.<\/p>\n

The candidates standing in Saffron Walden are:<\/p>\n