Row over ex-Ukip Portsmouth candidate sharing image showing Europe under Nazi swastika

Taxi driver Paul Sweeney shared an image of a swastika overlaid on a map of mainland Europe with arrows labelled as Liberals, Tories, Labour and Green pointing toward Britain.

In an image reminiscent of the Dad's Army TV show a purple arrow with the Ukip logo on it points out from England.

The image was shared on April 8 but Labour in Portsmouth have criticised the Conservatives in the city after ex-Ukip council candidate Mr Sweeny joined the Tories.

An image on Twitter shows him with Portsmouth City Council Tory group leader Councillor Donna Jones.

Portsmouth Labour chairwoman Amanda Martin said: ‘I respect people who criticise the EU using logic but comparing them to the Nazis is greatly offensive to the many Portsmouth veterans who fought fascism and is an insult to the 17m people murdered by the Nazis.’

Former Ukip council candidate Paul Sweeney told The News: ‘I just shared it not really looking at it to be honest.

‘It’s been on there for months. Even before I’d even joined the Conservatives.

‘It was a silly thing that I didn’t really look at to be perfectly honest, I don’t see any racism about it. It was about the EU.’

Frank Worley, Portsmouth South Conservative Association chairman, said: ‘Paul Sweeney joined the Conservative Party online two weeks ago. We do not vet members social media ahead of them joining.’

He said the party condemns any form of racism and added: ‘We are however concerned about the growth in racist images used by mainstream political parties, in particular the Labour Party who have been referred for national investigation over claims of systematic racism brought about by hundreds of complaints of anti-Semitic comments and behaviour by their members.’

Earlier this year the Tory party said disciplinary proceedings were underway over allegations of Islamophobia at the PCSA.