Tories demand Nigel Farage suspends Reform Scottish candidate for 'sickening insults' to Royals

The Scottish Tories have demanded Nigel Farage suspends a Reform UK candidate standing against Douglas Ross after they likened the Royal family to “benefit scroungers”.

Jo Hart, the Reform candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, the constituency where the Scottish Tories leader is controversially standing, reportedly compared the late Queen and Royal family to “benefit scroungers” when the Jubilee was taking place.

In a now-deleted Facebook post, Ms Hart appears to have also written “f**k the Royals” and “make Lizzy the last”.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (Photo by Ian West/PA Wire)

The seat is a fight between Mr Ross and the SNP’s Seamus Logan. Labour has already suspended its candidate for the seat, Andy Brown, over pro-Russian social media posts. Votes for the reform candidate could harm Mr Ross’s chances of securing a return to Westminster.

Ms Hart's made the comments in June 2022 during the bank holiday weekend to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Her post claimed millions of people around the UK were struggling to eat, keep warm and keep the lights on.

She wrote: “This hugely light show at the palace is nothing but a slap in the face to all of us common folk who are struggling with energy bills right now. So this weekend when you're cracking out the bunting and celebrating the Jubilee, just use that massively washed brain of yours and think instead, at just how much of a p*** take this all really is.

“The single biggest benefits scroungers are the monarchy. It’s time it was scrapped.”

Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy, condemned the “sickening comments”.

He said: “During the Jubilee, when the whole of Britain united in celebration of the service and sacrifice of the late Queen, it appears this Reform candidate went on a disgusting anti-monarchy rant. This candidate must be suspended for apparently vile statements about the late Queen and shameful anti-Britain views.”

Mr Hoy has written to Reform UK chairman Richard Tice, calling for Ms Hart to be “suspended immediately”, claiming a failure to act would be saying “these anti-Britain statements are acceptable”.

Reform UK has been contacted for comment.