A Labour party general election campaign candidate has quit following allegations he was behind a Twitter account that posted comments that appeared to support the eradication of Islam from Europe.

Trevor Merralls, who leads a group campaigning on behalf of black-cab drivers, was announced on Monday as the Labour candidate for the suburban London constituency of Old Bexley and Sidcup.

As the current chairman of the United Cabbies Group (UCG), which has been involved in anti-Uber protests across London, he pledged to run as the "cabbies' candidate" in the general election.



Within hours he had been linked to a Twitter account – now deleted but still partially available on Google's cache – named @wellingblueboy, which has tweeted comments about Islam that warn a "reckoning" is on the way.

Merralls strongly denies that he is responsible for the account. But following questions from BuzzFeed News and members of the public he announced he would step aside as candidate, blaming a "vicious smear campaign".