Mr McCartney, right, shared a number of posts from far-right activist Tommy Robinson (Picture: Getty)

A Conservative Party candidate retweeted a post that claimed far-right activist Tommy Robinson had been jailed for ‘reporting on Muslim paedophiles’.

Karl McCartney is the Conservative Party candidate for Lincoln.

He also appeared to endorse a post which said the government had ‘made it illegal’ to expose Asian grooming gangs after Robinson was jailed for contempt of court, the Mirror reported.

It comes just days after Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson said the party had a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to Islamophobia.


Mr McCartney, who was Lincoln’s MP between 2010 and 2017, also shared a letter from Tommy Robinson, in which Robinson says his murder by ‘Muslim prison gangs’ would lead to a revolution.



The former MPs social media history was uncovered by Hope Not Hate, the UK’s largest anti-racism charity, who called for Mr McCartney to be suspended.

The chief executive of Hope not Hate Nick Lowles tweeted: ‘The Tory candidate for the highly marginal seat of Lincoln has repeatedly retweeted the thoughts of anti-Muslim bigots.

‘This man does not deserve to be an MP.’

Mr McCartney, was Lincoln’s MP between 2010 and 2017 (Picture: Rex Features)

A spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Britain said: ‘It is quite clear that Karl McCartney’s endorsement of Islamophobes renders him unfit to be an MP.

‘Having been forced out once before, it is astounding that this man should be allowed to stand again.

‘This is far from the zero tolerance on Islamophobia as promised by the Prime Minister last week.

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‘The Conservative Party should put these words into action by expelling Mr McCartney and the many other candidates found to be promoting Islamophobia and the far right.

‘This is yet another episode which underscores once again the need for a specific and independent inquiry into this specific form of bigotry in the Conservative Party.’

Mr McCartney told the Mirror: ‘I apologise unreservedly. In no way do I endorse the tweets or the accounts behind them. I accept retweeting them was ill-judged and could cause offence.

‘This divisive figure has no place in our politics or public life.’

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