Nigel Farage has been threatened with legal action for a "political smear" against an advocacy organisation after a Twitter exchange with murdered MP Jo Cox's husband about the lorry attack in Berlin.

The former UKIP leader has been contacted by the lawyers of Hope Not Hate after he spoke about the group on LBC Radio following the online row.

It started when Mr Farage intimated that German chancellor Angela Merkel was responsible for the brutal attack on a Berlin Christmas market, which killed 12 people and injured dozens more.

Writing on Twitter the Brexit campaigner said: "Terrible news from Berlin but no surprise. Events like these will be the Merkel legacy."

In what was widely interpreted as a reference to the murder of his wife by a far-right terrorist during the EU referendum campaign, Brendan Cox quickly responded: "Blaming politicians for the actions of extremists? That's a slippery slope Nigel."


Farage Defends UKIP Poster Launch

Following the exchange, Mr Farage defended his comments on LBC radio.

He said: "Well of course he would know more about extremists than me, Mr Cox; he backs organisations like Hope Not Hate, who masquerade as being lovely and peaceful but actually pursue violent and very undemocratic means.

"And I'm sorry Mr Cox, it is time people started to take responsibility for what's happened. Mrs Merkel had directly caused a whole number of social and terrorist problems in Germany, it's about time we confronted that truth."

@Nigel_Farage blaming politicians for the actions of extremists? That's a slippery slope Nigel — Brendan Cox (@MrBrendanCox) December 20, 2016

In a statement, Hope Not Hate condemned Mr Farage's sentiments, saying: "Nigel Farage's allegations against HOPE Not Hate on LBC today are a political smear, which is why our lawyers have written to Mr Farage demanding that he retracts and publicly apologises for his remarks, or face further legal action."

The statement said Hope Not Hate supporters were "united by a common desire to combat racism and to do so using lawful, peaceful means", and that the fact Mr Farage made his remarks during a discussion about Mrs Cox "makes them all the more poisonous and hateful".

Mrs Cox was gunned down by extremist Thomas Mair on 16 June. As he launched his attack he shouted: "This is for Britain", "keep Britain independent" and "Britain first".

Brexiters have been accused of stoking hate crime after police figures showed a significant and sharp increase in the late stages of EU campaigning, and afterwards.

On the day of Mrs Cox's murder, Mr Farage launched a poster showing a long queue of refugees and the slogan: "Breaking point".

At the time, it was criticised by Remain campaigner and former chancellor George Osborne, who likened it to 1930s fascist propaganda, as well as Brexit campaigner and then justice secretary Michael Gove, who said it made him shudder.

Mrs Merkel has said it would be "particularly sickening" if the Christmas market attacker is an asylum seeker.

In a tweet sent just minutes after the attack, Eurosceptic MEP Marcus Pretzell described those who had been killed as "Merkel's dead".