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UKIP Facebook 'Nazi salute' candidate Alex Wood suspended | UKIP Facebook 'Nazi salute' candidate Alex Wood suspended |
(35 minutes later) | |
A UKIP candidate has been suspended from standing in elections for Somerset County Council after photos appeared on his Facebook account showing him making a Nazi-style salute. | A UKIP candidate has been suspended from standing in elections for Somerset County Council after photos appeared on his Facebook account showing him making a Nazi-style salute. |
Alex Wood, 22, said the picture was taken out of context and associated comments were not written by him. | Alex Wood, 22, said the picture was taken out of context and associated comments were not written by him. |
Mr Wood said he had told police and said his account had been "hijacked". | Mr Wood said he had told police and said his account had been "hijacked". |
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said any members proven to have extreme right wing views would be expelled. | UKIP leader Nigel Farage said any members proven to have extreme right wing views would be expelled. |
'Silly bravado' | 'Silly bravado' |
Mr Farage told BBC News he did not know Alex Wood but confirmed he had met him on a regional tour last week. | Mr Farage told BBC News he did not know Alex Wood but confirmed he had met him on a regional tour last week. |
The party chief said: "I would think it's more about silly youthful bravado than it is a statement of political intent. | The party chief said: "I would think it's more about silly youthful bravado than it is a statement of political intent. |
"But we will investigate it and if we discover that Mr Wood has extremist links, he'll be gone." | "But we will investigate it and if we discover that Mr Wood has extremist links, he'll be gone." |
As well as the picture which showed him appearing to perform a Nazi-style salute, there was also a second picture showing him clutching a knife between his teeth in front of a Union flag. | |
When asked about the first picture, Alex Wood told BBC news: "The supposed wrong hand salute is actually me grabbing after a friend's phone." | |
He described the second picture as a "Halloween prank" where "he had dressed up as a pirate". | |
He said: "You don't expect to go into politics, so it was a silly prank at the time." | |
Mr Wood said he had reported the incident to the police "some days ago", but Avon and Somerset Police said it had been reported to them just after midnight. | Mr Wood said he had reported the incident to the police "some days ago", but Avon and Somerset Police said it had been reported to them just after midnight. |
Insp Tim Coombes said: "We received a report of malicious communication in the early hours of this morning and our inquiries are ongoing." | Insp Tim Coombes said: "We received a report of malicious communication in the early hours of this morning and our inquiries are ongoing." |
'Embroiled' | 'Embroiled' |
UKIP's Somerset county committee chairman Dorothy Baker said: "It's regrettable that such a thing as this has happened. | UKIP's Somerset county committee chairman Dorothy Baker said: "It's regrettable that such a thing as this has happened. |
"It's a police matter, so we can't really comment because we don't know the outcome of the investigation." | "It's a police matter, so we can't really comment because we don't know the outcome of the investigation." |
She said she accepted Mr Wood's explanation of what had happened and said the fact he had gone to the police "speaks for itself". | She said she accepted Mr Wood's explanation of what had happened and said the fact he had gone to the police "speaks for itself". |
She added: "You could be flippant and say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but of course we don't like to have our candidates embroiled in things like this." | She added: "You could be flippant and say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but of course we don't like to have our candidates embroiled in things like this." |
UKIP said Mr Wood's candidacy "was suspended pending the police investigation". | UKIP said Mr Wood's candidacy "was suspended pending the police investigation". |
Last week, the party confirmed it had expelled Susan Bowen, due to stand in Cornwall's Tintagel ward, because she had not disclosed her membership of the BNP. | Last week, the party confirmed it had expelled Susan Bowen, due to stand in Cornwall's Tintagel ward, because she had not disclosed her membership of the BNP. |
Mrs Bowen said she had only been in the BNP for six months three years previously. | Mrs Bowen said she had only been in the BNP for six months three years previously. |