The Liberal Democrats have announced the suspension of their council campaign in a London ward after their candidate was found to have shared antisemitic material, including a video from former KKK leader David Duke.

Abjol Miah, the party’s candidate for a council by-election in the Shadwell ward in East London, was discovered to have shared content on social media including an infamous video produced by Duke called “CNN Goldman Sachs and the Zio Matrix”.

In a statement by the Liberal Democrats on Wednesday, the party announced that Mr Miah’s “party membership has been revoked, pending an investigation by the Regional Party… following news that the Liberal Democrat candidate for Shadwell had shared content in 2014 that contained antisemitic sentiment.

“As a result, campaigning activity in Shadwell will cease for the remainder of the campaign period… both on the ground and online.”

As it is too late to change the ballot paper, the party made it clear that “Mr Miah will still appear on the ballot paper as the Liberal Democrat candidate, however, if he is elected he will sit as an independent councillor unless his membership is reinstated.”

Mr Miah, who had previously belonged to George Galloway’s “Respect” party in Tower Hamlets, as well as campaigning  for the local “Tower Hamlets First” party in the 2014 local elections and Labour during the 2016 London Mayoral election, released a statement on Tuesday saying he “would like to sincerely apologise for sharing the content.

“The video in no way represents my views or those of the Liberal Democrats. I have worked closely with members of Tower Hamlets’ Jewish community, built trust and understanding and learned about the discrimination which they continue to face. I am very upset that my earlier error might damage that trust and would like to assure the community that I stand with them in solidarity against antisemitism and discrimination of all forms."

The by-election for the Shadwell council seat takes place today (Thursday) with seven different candidates standing. The election results are likely to be announced on Thursday evening.