Ukip candidate suspended for 'threatening to shoot' Tory rival

Ukip has suspended one of its parliamentary candidates just two days before the general election after a video emerged in which he appears to threaten to shoot his Tory rival.

In a secret recording made as part of an investigation by the Mirror, Robert Blay, who was standing in North East Hampshire, was shown declaring that he "absolutely loathes" Conservative candidate Ranil Jayawardena.

Ukip has now apologised to Mr Jayawardena for Mr Blay's "abhorrent" remarks.

In the video, Blay said:

He also goes on to claim Mr Jayawardena was not "British enough" to stand for MP as his family only moved to the UK in the 70s, and said of the constituency - widely considered a safe Tory seat: "I've always said in my constituency you could put a monkey out there with a blue rosette on and it would win."

Watch a clip from the video containing the comments:

A Ukip spokesman said Mr Blay had been suspended as soon as the comments became known.

He added the party was "concerned" that Mr Blay had served as a Conservative member for a long time before moving to Nigel Farage's party - a fact which, he said, proved such views were not confined to Ukip members.

My Jayawardena, who has been a councillor in the area in recent years, said he was "shocked" when he heard the remarks.