18 April 2023 , 09:16
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The Conservatives have finally suspended an election candidate who wrote on Facebook in 2021 about “stoning” refugees who cross the Channel.
Stuart Peach is standing for the party in Ashfield where Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson is the MP.
In offensive posts on Facebook, Mr Peach speculated about people using violence to stop those arriving in this country in small boats.
He questioned what would happen if “the English started to take the law into their own hands” to deal with the issue.
“What would happen if 200,000 Englishmen marched down to Dover and started stoning the migrants?” he added.
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The Conservatives initially declined to say whether Mr Peach would face any disciplinary action after the Mirror first revealed the posts yesterday.
Stuart Peach posted on Facebook about 'stoning' people who arrive across the Channel (Facebook)But today the party finally announced: “Officers of the federation have decided to suspend Stuart Peach pending an investigation."
It is too late to remove him from the ballot paper where he will be listed as standing for the Conservatives.
Mr Peach has repeatedly described those coming on small boats as “invaders”.
And he has praised Home Secretary Suella Braverman, writing: “You go girl.”
Alongside a picture of the Cabinet minister, he posted: “We the people stand with this fine lady to defend ‘our shores’. Stop the invasion!”
He previously called on ministers to “stop the invaders or the barricades are going up”.
“I wonder how many people will be killed in this country by invaders?” he asked in another post.
The local council candidate lavished praise on Home Secretary Suella Braverman (Facebook)Mr Peach said he hoped to get elected as local councillor in next month’s elections because it is “easier to change things at grassroots level and work up”.
David Hennigan, a councillor on Ashfield District Council, who had called on the Conservatives to expel Mr Peach accused the party of being “up to their necks in links to racists”.
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Voters will go to the polls on May 4. In total, 8,141 council seats are up for grabs in 230 councils across England.
The Conservatives are expected to suffer losses as they are punished by the electorate for their botched running of the country.
Greg Hands, the party chairman, yesterday suggested it could lose around 1,000 council seats across England.
The Tory campaign has been hit by a series of mistakes.
The Mirror revealed last week its candidates include an ex-BNP member who wrote vile messages about Meghan Markle.
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