Election candidate dropped by party after social media posts controversy

An election candidate has been dropped by a newly-formed political party following a social media posts controversy. On Monday (April 8) Alan Bayfield was announced as the Bury Independents Party's candidate for Bury West in the local elections on May 2.

The 60-year-old featured in pictures with other members at a campaign launch. The party, which formed last year, is fielding nine candidates.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has seen a series of posts by an account belonging to Mr Bayfield on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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On November 20 last year, in response to a news headline about an alleged migrant 'terror cell', he wrote: "A bullet would do the job more efficiently."

On December 20, he posted in response to an image of George Floyd referencing funds paid to his family: "Bet they not spent it wisely probably bought crystal meth and crack."

On February 7, Mr Bayfield, in response to a graphic about unemployment rates by ethnicity, posted: "Funny isn't it regarding ethnicity and percentage unemployed, shows who wants to work and who doesn't."

On January 19, he wrote in a response to a post about migration: "They have no skills or qualifications (maybe terrorism or abusing women)."

On January 26, in response to a post to a tweet about migration showing men in Muslim dress holding Labour Party banners, he posted: "What do these people offer? Nil."

An emergency meeting of the Bury Independents was called on Tuesday, before Mr Bayfield was told he no longer had the party's backing.

A spokesman for the party said: "Bury Independents Party has withdrawn its endorsement of