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Published: 4:45 PM November 4, 2019 Updated: 6:06 PM September 17, 2020

Timothy Vince claimed the EU was founded on the exploitation of women in the interview. Photo: BBC - Credit: Archant

A Brexit Party candidate has outlined a series of bizarre conspiracy theories about the EU, including that it was founded in a temple and is based on the exploitation of women.

Timothy Vince, the Brexit Party's candidate for South Thanet, told BBC's Sunday Politics South East show about his beliefs in how the organisation was created.

"The founding myth of the EU is actually the exploitation of women - you have the statue of Zeus with Europa riding, and it's based on deception, abduction and rape," Vince said.

Vince is apparently referring to a prominent statue in the European district of Brussels, which depicts the classical story of Europa - after whom the continent is named - who was abducted by Zeus in the form of a bull.

In what the organisation Hope Not Hate described as a 'car-crash interview' featuring 'bizarre conspiracy theories', Vince added: "People don't know that because they want to talk about money and other things.

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"My concern is that the EU is leading us to an empire. That is basically totalitarial [sic], which takes away the choice of the democratic element."

Vince had previously called the EU 'wicked', and claimed it was created - or at least signed - in a temple equated with Satanism.

Vince was formerly a presenter on the evangelical Christian channel Revelation TV, and had previously stated the EU was associated with thunderbolts, swastikas, and Nazi Germany, according to the show's host.

"I'm just making the point that, do we want our future to be dictated by Greek and Roman mythology that led to dictatorships?"

South Thanet has twice been contested by Nigel Farage, who stood there in 2005 and 2015, and was unsuccessful in both attempts.

Vince's bizarre conspiracy theories follow news of the ex-Brexit Party candidate for Batley and Spen announcing her belief that she is from a distant star and that extraterrestrials are working with world governments.