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Ukip have suspended a general election candidate who called for cyclists and the unemployed to be banned from the roads to ease traffic congestion.

Lynton Yates was the party's candidate for Charnwood, Leicestershire, and remains a Ukip member of Leicestershire County Council.

An election leaflet emerged yesterday, in which Mr Yates called for the unemployed to be banned from driving, because it would "likely remove six million cars from the road."

The leaflet suggested: "These people really could catch a bus!"

A Ukip spokesman confirmed Mr Yates had not yet been officially deselected as a candidate, or suspended from the party.

When asked how he'd implement his suggestions, Mr Yates told the Mirror taking away the driving licences of the unemployed was "a possibility."

"I'm sure people will say 'what if they've got a job interview'", he said. "Well I'm sure if you had nothing to do you could leave a bit earlier and get a bus."

(Image: Leicestershire City Council)

The leaflet also called for cyclists to be made to ride on pavements, and give way to pedestrians. It ended with the words: "Yet again we're proposing common sense policies and common sense solutions."

Mr Yates' policy ideas were widely criticised on social media and by his election opponents.

Simon Sansome, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Charnwood said suspending the driving licences of the unemployed was "an absolutely idiotic idea."

Sean Kelly Walsh, the Labour candidate for Charnwood, said: "He seems to be trying desperately to put the description ‘bonkers’ right back at the heart of his Party."

According to ElectionForecast.co.uk, Ukip were polling at 12% in Charnwood.

The sitting Tory MP, Stephen Dorrell , is standing down at the 2015 election and selection for his replacement has not yet taken place.