Image copyright AP Photo

A Tory council candidate has resigned from the party with immediate effect after posting anti-Islamic and homophobic comments on Twitter.

David Bishop, a candidate in Brentwood South, Essex, apologised after retweeting messages, including one that claimed Islam was the religion of rape.

"I have let myself and my party down," Mr Bishop said in a statement.

It comes after a UKIP council candidate, who tweeted that Islam was "evil", was suspended from the party.

'Real offence'

Mr Bishop, who is also a DJ in the Brentwood area, retweeted one message on 13 April that read: "How CAN a gay guy keep a straight face?"

Analysis The past few weeks have rather convincingly rammed home that Twitter is a remarkably efficient way of obliterating a political career. A smartphone, plus a couple of sentences, equals opprobrium, or even oblivion. Such is the scope for embarrassment, the political parties are ringing us up with examples of what they see as rival candidates' online indiscretions. What in previous elections would have been little more than hearsay about what people may have heard a candidate say, is now permanently recorded online. And the "delete" button isn't much of a friend to the strongly opinionated tweeter. The "screengrab" key has become a must use accessory for all the political parties, permanently recording the musings of their rivals.

In another message, retweeted on April 27 - two days after Mr Bishop was named as a Conservative council candidate - it cited the arrest of four Muslim men over the rape of a 14-year-old girl and added: "#Islam 'the religion of peace' & rape."

In a statement, Mr Bishop apologised "for the real offence caused" and said he would "not be asking anyone to vote for me on May 22".

"I recognise that someone standing for public office should show leadership and seek to unite communities, not divide them. I hope the residents of Brentwood South can forgive my lack of judgement in time," he said.

John Kerslake, chairman of Brentwood and Ongar Conservatives said the matter had been dealt with "swiftly and conclusively in the best interest of Brentwood and the party".

Louise McKinlay, group leader of Brentwood Conservatives, added that Mr Bishop's views had "no place in our team".

"David's decision to step down was the right thing to do and I am pleased the party has backed this and accepted his resignation from the team and from the party," she said.

Mr Bishop's resignation comes as UKIP council candidate, Harry Perry, who was seeking election in the Offerton ward in Stockport, was suspended by the party on Friday after tweeting that Islam was "evil" and homosexuality was an "abomination".

Image copyright Twitter Image caption A senior Conservative in Brentwood said Mr Bishop's views had "no place in our team"

Another UKIP candidate resigned from the party last week after making controversial remarks about comedian Lenny Henry.