A Teenage Tory council candidate has been suspended over social media posts supporting toxic influencers like Andrew Tate.
Paris Coulson, 19, is standing for in next week’s local elections in Long Eaton - but was axed by the party just days before polling day.
His social media accounts had liked tweets by Tate, who is currently under house arrest in Romania on suspicion of human trafficking and organised crime.
He also defended YouTuber Hamza Ahmed, who offers a £400 online course promising to help men feel “ready to dominate”
And in December he posted a false conspiracy theory suggesting the Covid-19 vaccine had caused a string of “sudden deaths”.
Tory vaccines minister Maggie Throup is Mr Coulson’s local MP - and branded his comments “wholly unacceptable.”
But Mr Coulson complained his “freedom of speech is being stamped on” by the Conservative Party, who suspended him earlier this week.
It’s too late for him to be removed from the ballot - and if elected, he’ll sit on the council as an independent.
Shabana Mahmoud MP, Labour ’s National Campaign Coordinator, said: “It’s right the Conservatives have finally suspended this candidate but questions need to be asked how he was selected in the first place.
“It is worrying that someone espousing these kinds of views would ever be deemed suitable in the first place. The Conservatives are clearly scrambling to find candidates to stand but the lack of a proper vetting procedure is deeply concerning."
In a statement, Mr Coulson said his suspension was “due to comments I have made on social media across the years” - saying some were made “at the tender age of sixteen.”
He said he was “incredibly disappointed” with Erewash Conservative Association’s decision, adding: “All I have simply done is echo the thoughts of millions across the nation, and for that I stand by what I have said with a stiff upper lip.”
Cllr Tony King, Chairman of Erewash Conservatives said: “Following a number of social media posts that were brought to the attention of our Association’s executive committee…the decision has been taken to immediately suspend Mr Coulson as a member of the Conservative Party.
“The Association has now opened a full disciplinary investigation into the comments made by Mr Coulson, which is the first step to expelling him from the party.”
