Published: 3:02 PM June 6, 2019 Updated: 6:25 PM September 17, 2020

A former Brexit Party campaign chief admitted quitting the British National Party (BNP) after finding about its 'institutional racism'.

Kevin Moore, who stood for the BNP in the 2009 European Elections, later joined the Brexit Party in May 2019 and was appointed as campaign coordinator in the north west.

Moore, who has been sacked from his role in Nigel Farage's party, said he "ran a mile" after discovering the BNP's views that so-called 'racial foreigners' including boxer Amir Khan and footballer Rio Legend 'did not exist', and added: "I have to live with that horrible truth."

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News (M.E.N.), he said: "I was a member of the BNP in 2010 and I stayed for a short period of three to four months and stood for council.

"I ran a mile when I found out about the institutional racism within the whole of the party.

"My only regret is that I ran away from racists and fascists instead of standing up to them.

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"I have to live with that horrible truth."

And Moore claimed Brexiteer party bosses were aware of his past as a self-described party BNP activist when he was appointed into the voluntary role for the Brexit Party in Merseyside.

He said he left the extremist far-right party, led at the time by Nick Griffin, just months after standing for the BNP in the Warwickshire European Elections ten years ago.

"I have never hidden that fact from anyone," Moore said.

"As for my role, [it] is terminated with immediate effect.

"I leave with no regrets or animosity towards anyone within the party, my support for the party remains firm despite all of this.

"I thank supporters for their praise for a job well done in the European Elections."

Moore's sacking came after regional press outlet M.E.N. uncovered his previous membership in the course of an investigation.

A Brexit Party spokesperson said the BNP was one of a list of organisations proscribed by the party, which saw three MEPs take up seats in the European Parliament for the region in May's elections.

They denied having been aware of Moore's past, and said people appointed to campaign roles were vetted.

The spokesperson said: "The Brexit Party was entirely unaware that Mr Moore had any links to any of the organisations that have been proscribed by the party including the BNP.

"Thanks to the research by the M.E.N. and others his past has come to light.

"Sadly though we have a vetting process it relies in part on the honesty of those we vet.

"The Brexit Party has sacked Mr Moore as a local organiser instantly.

"We are a party that celebrates diversity as can be seen by the range of candidates and elected in the north west and across the country.

"The M.E.N. has done us a service for which we are grateful."