TEXTS have warned Muslim voters they will be condemned to hell if they do not vote Labour in the Stoke Central by-election.

One message said failure to back Labour's Gareth Snell would see "anti-Islam" Ukip win. It ranted: “Will you be able to answer for this in the Grave and on the Final Day??? ‘I helped the Enemies of Islam because...’”

5

Ahead of next week’s crunch by-election, the anonymous messages were sent around the seat that has a seven percent Muslim population.

Last night local Ukip activist Tariq Mahmood, who received the text, told The Sun it was being “circulated via text and WhatsApp throughout the local community, it’s outrageous.”

The controversial message claims that voting for any other party — despite the Lib Dems have a Muslim candidate standing — would serve “to Elect an Anti Muslim and Anti Islam MP.”

5 Another divisive text sent by Labour activist Navid Hussain accuses Ukip of being a racist party

5 The text, which is echoed in a rant on his Facebook page, says Ukip 'hate Muslims and all immigrants'

It said that all Muslims are compelled to vote for the Labour Party candidate and ends “may glorious Allah grant us all guidance, amen.”

The Liberal Democrats said last night that they would be taking the matter to the police and reported it to the elections watchdog on behalf of their candidate Dr Zulfiqar Ali.

And the Sun can also reveal another divisive text in circulation that reads: “Every Racist is voting for UKIP. UKIP are a Racist Party, who are hate Muslims and Islam.”

It was sent by a local Labour activist Navid Hussain who has posed for photographs with Labour’s candidate Gareth Snell and hard-left Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

5 Navid Hussain has posed for photos with Labour's candidate Gavin Snell

5 He has also been pictured with Jeremy Corbyn

He also sent a message out on Facebook that “you must vote for Gareth Snell” as Ukip “hate all Muslims and all immigrants.”

It added: “Any vote for Dr Ali (Lib Dems) is the same as voting for UKIP.”

Last night opponents called on Labour to condemn the “nasty and grubby attempt to bully and intimidate people.”

Lib Dem chief Tim Farron blasted: “It is worrying and quite serious as it seeks to persuade people on the basis of religious pressure rather than political opinion.

He added: “In the UK this is an illegal activity and strictly prohibited under election law.”

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Voters in Stoke on Trent go to the polls next Thursday after a bitter battle to succeed ex-Labour MP Tristram Hunt who quit the party for a job running a museum.

Despite their candidate posing with one of the authors, a Labour campaign spokesman said last night: “We were not aware of these text messages and we don’t condone the content.

"The campaign did not sanction the sending of these messages.”