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The Ukip candidate in Tony Blair's old constituency has sparked outrage by saying a well-known female columnist 'would love a big black thing up her a***'.

John Leathley said left-wing writer Yasmin Alibhai-Brown 'needs a shag' and sex with her could be 'practice' - prompting her to hit back at his claims as 'appalling'.

The 23-year-old made his rant in a young Ukip members' Facebook conversation in November, when Ms Alibhai-Brown appeared on the BBC's Question Time.

He is now standing as a parliamentary candidate in Sedgefield, County Durham, near where he studies at Durham University.

His rant began by saying 'sleeping with women (when done properly) makes them crazy' and that Ms Alibhai-Brown 'needs a good shag'.

A friend then told him he should have sex with a different panellist.

Leathley replied: "Yasmin first for practice mate. Take one for the team. Or give one depending what mood she's in."

A friend then said of the Muslim writer: "I'd stick a cannon up her a*** and fire her into Israel, see how long she lasts :D".

Leathley wrote: "She would love a big black thing up her a***".

The messages were leaked to Labour students last night.

The candidate - who can't be disqualified because there's too little time before the election - has now apologised for his rant.

But he has been attacked for encouraging rape by politicians in Sedgefield, County Durham, where he is standing as Ukip's parliamentary candidate on Thursday.

And Ms Alibhai-Brown, whose appearance on the BBC's Question Time sparked the rant, told Mirror Online: "Even I'm shocked and I get a lot of this.

"If this is what people who go into public life are going to be like then God help us.

"I saw the apology and of course I'm not going to give any credence to it at all. You don't apologise because you are found out.

"Was he drunk? If he wasn't, then what he said was absolutely appalling. It's sexist, it's racist, it's violent.

"And for what? Because I'm a public figure? What gives this guy permission to do this?

"I've always said Ukip was the nasty party and we find out again and again with incidents like this."

(Image: Reuters)

Alex Cunningham, who is fighting re-election for Labour in nearby Stockton North, said: "It's pretty appalling stuff.

"There's never any excuse for people spouting on social media and suggesting that someone should, in effect, be raped.

"It's absolutely appalling that anybody could think such things.

"Words almost fail me to be honest. That somebody could go into a social media site and engage with young people and put forward such views - it's just wrong."

A statement in Leathley's name released by Ukip apologised, although it still spelt Ms Alibhai-Brown's name wrongly.

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"I would like to apologise unreservedly to Yasmin Alibahi Brown," the statement said.

"I read what I wrote now, I am shocked by them and am appalled and deeply ashamed of my words.

"The comments were made during a private conversation in the evening clearly were never meant to be publicly released, and they should never have been said.

"I am very sorry and regret deeply being so coarse, it is out of character but no more excusable for that."

Leathley also outraged students last week after saying a string of deaths in the River Wear could have been due to a serial killer and 'the whole thing is retarded'.

He also questioned if Australian-born Green Party leader Natalie Bennett could be deported.

He said those remarks were taken out of context.