A LIBERAL Democrat candidate has pulled out of an election hustings event as he refuses to ‘share a platform’ with the constituency’s Reform UK candidate.

Jeff Hanna is the Lib Dem candidate in Bournemouth West.

The constituency’s Reform UK candidate is Ben Aston, and it was reported in The Times he said in a now-deleted social media post that ‘Jews were responsible for Muslim migration to the UK’.

Mr Aston said the allegations made against him that he was anti-Semitic were ‘false’.

Mr Hanna said at the time of the report he would not appear at a hustings event alongside Mr Aston, calling on organisers to disinvite him.

(Image: Ben Aston)

Now, Mr Hanna has withdrawn from the hustings tonight, July 1, at St Ambrose Church.

“On learning of Mr Aston’s comments, I immediately made my condemnation clear, stating that I would decline to share a platform with Mr Aston, not wishing to give him credibility by doing so, nor the opportunity to express such outrageous views again,” Mr Hanna said.

“At the time, two hustings had been arranged for Bournemouth West, this evening’s, and another tomorrow evening arranged for Disabled Children and Families. Mr Aston has been disinvited from the second of these, and I will be attending it. He has not been disinvited for this evening.

“That is a judgement call which the organisers for this evening are entitled to make, but having made my views clear, and out of respect for our Jewish and Muslim communities, I have accordingly withdrawn.”

In response to the report in The Times, Mr Aston said: "Conor Burns and his failing campaign have launched a series of bad-faith attacks against me.

"His allegation that I am antisemitic is false. I do not ascribe coherent political aims to an entire ethnic group; that would be utterly absurd on its face, and I repudiate any such suggestion.

"Conor should focus more on defending his lamentable record as MP and less on engaging in very weak personal attacks."

A full list of candidates can be found here.