BOURNEMOUTH West candidate is facing serious backlash after posting 'antisemitic and hugely offensive' comments on social media.

Ben Aston, the Reform candidate for Bournemouth West, said that Jews were responsible for Muslim migration to the UK and accused the government of intentionally "injecting" Britain with African men.

In a now-deleted post discovered by The Times, Aston wrote: "Many of the powerful groups agitating for the mass import into England of Muslims from the Third World are Jewish."

In June 2024, Aston was selected to replace the previous candidate, Peter Storms, after he was deselected for comments made on social media.

In response to the Times, a Reform spokesperson said its candidates were not "political zombies," and the party was "proud that they think and speak like the ordinary people they are."

Sir Conor Burns, Conservative candidate for Bournemouth West, condemned Aston's comments. He took to X, saying, "Our local Jewish community has dealt with enough hostility and hatred. The Reform candidate is unfit to stand and represent anyone. These are not serious people. Vote for anyone else on 4th July."

In response to The Times, Sir Conor added: "I have known Nigel Farage for almost three decades and know he will have no truck with them. He can act decisively and suspend his candidate, condemn his remarks, and urge his supporters not to vote for Aston in Bournemouth West."

Aston, 43, works for an online advertising company and stood as an independent candidate in the neighbouring Bournemouth East constituency in 2019.

The Liberal Democrat candidate for Bournemouth West, Jeff Hanna, has also reviled the comments made by Ben Aston.

He said: "This is blatant antisemitism and Islamophobia, which is repulsive to most people here.

"We have both Jewish and Muslim communities living here, who do not deserve offensive comments of this kind. Both contribute to our area, and both have peace and tolerance as the foundations of their beliefs.

"It is regrettably too late for Mr Aston to be removed from the ballot paper, but with two hustings arranged for the final week of the election, I have made it clear that I will not share a platform with him. I believe he is now being disinvited from one, and I am waiting to hear from the other."

Ben Aston said: "Conor Burns and his failing campaign have launched a series of bad-faith attacks against me.

"His allegation that I am antisemitic is false. I do not ascribe coherent political aims to an entire ethnic group; that would be utterly absurd on its face, and I repudiate any such suggestion.

"Conor should focus more on defending his lamentable record as MP and less on engaging in very weak personal attacks."