A pub in Ipswich has cancelled a talk by Holocaust denier David Irving after the intervention of a local MP.

Irving was scheduled to speak at the venue on Thursday night, as part of a national lecture tour.

But the pub’s owner decided not to go ahead with the event after he was informed of Irving’s background by Conservative MP Ben Gummer.

Mr Gummer said the owner was “horrified” when he was told who Irving was.

The MP added: “While freedom of speech is a precious thing, people should also be made aware of the nature of Mr Irving’s views and prejudices.

“That is why I approached the venue where he was due to speak to explain to them.

“As expected the venue had no idea who Mr Irving was and were horrified to know when I told them.”

“The opinions that Mr Irving expressed are ones with which everyone that I know in Ipswich would be repulsed by. I cannot think anyone in this town would welcome his presence in our decent and tolerant community.”

He confirmed that the pub had cancelled the event.

Irving has talks scheduled at undisclosed venues in towns and cities across the UK during December.

In April 2000, Irving lost a libel case against Jewish-American academic Professor Deborah Lipstadt.

He sought damages over her 1994 book, Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory, in which she labelled him a Holocaust denier.

The High Court ruled that he had failed to prove his reputation had been damaged.

Denial, a film based on the case, is due for release in the UK in January.

Irving was jailed by an Austrian court in 2006 after he admitted denying the Holocaust but later released on appeal.