The Brexit Party has withdrawn its support for one of its candidates, after the JC alerted it to Facebook posts in which he suggested the Nazis "had a point" and did not dispute he was "pro-fascist".
James Edward Buckley, who is standing in Blackley and Broughton, wrote in May that the Nazis saw Jews as “subversive”, having a “position of supremacy through the banking system”, and that being “kicked out of 109 countries might suggest they had a point.”
In another post uncovered by Hope Not Hate, he defended the view that “there’s not enough evidence that [Jewish people] were gassed”, adding that “if you think the Jews were innocent in WW2 you are blind”.
He also said: “you do know he [Hitler] did have Jews in [the] army as we as his inner circle right?”
Mr Buckley also said that wartime British fascist Oswald Moseley "seemed a good man” and, when asked if he was pro-fascist, he responded “depends on the type of fascism and the definition.”
“If we had followed him [Mosley] I truly believe there would have been no ww2,” he wrote. “Instead we sided with the Communists and Zionist bankers against Europe.
“Doesn’t seem right to me.”
Mr Buckley is alleged to have made the posts on Facebook under the pseudonyms Jim Edwards and Man Chester.
After being presented with this evidence, the Brexit Party said it was withdrawing its support for Mr Buckley "with immediate effect".
A spokesperson told the JC: “It has been brought to our attention that Buckley has links to a Facebook page promoting racist commentary, as well as questionable associations with extremist groups.
“It appears that Buckley took part in these activities under an assumed name, and as a consequence, evaded our vetting process.
“The Brexit Party utterly condemns racism in any form and wishes to make it clear that it is as diverse and inclusive as the society it seeks to represent, with candidates from all faiths, races and religions.
"Whatever opponents might wish to claim, ours is not a party of the hard right but very much the reverse, an active force for democracy.”
Mr Buckley has been approached for comment.
According to the 2011 Census, the constituency of Blackley and Broughton had a Jewish population of 7.2 per cent, making it the seventh most Jewish constituency.
Andrew Gwynne, Labour’s shadow communities secretary, said: “The Brexit Party, which is standing aside in many seats to give the Conservatives a clear run, is fielding Nazi supporters and Holocaust deniers as parliamentary candidates."
