[Kizzy]

Ukip allowed criminals with a violent past as well as racists and homophobes to stand as candidates during the last election, according to a report.

The Times newspaper says it has obtained a leaked dossier showing that the party was aware of but ignored the controversial backgrounds of a number of its candidate.

Fourteen of the party’s candidates from the May elections are reported to have a violent past while five have been convicted for offences included grievous bodily harm and assault.

A further 23 candidates of the candidates expressed sexist, racist, or homophobic views, one expressed support for the far-right English Defence League street gang.

The candidates stood for a mixture of MP and council positions.

The newspaper says that in most cases, the candidates in the dossier were initially barred from standing after a vetting process but then managed to reverse the decision at appeal.

Of 200 candidates blocked by David Soutter, Ukip’s head of candidates in 2014, 128 challenged their rejection and 115 were allowed to run.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-a6866776.html