AN ANTI-ISLAMIC election candidate could be expelled from a community business group after using their name on promotional materials.

For Britain member Kevin Brack has been suspended from the Cockerton Community and Business Group after featuring them on leaflets distributed to households around Darlington.

Acting quickly to distance themselves from the contentious politics of the anti-Muslim For Britain party, members said that Mr Brack had no permission to use the group in his campaign to represent the Cockerton ward in an upcoming by-election.

The CCABG issued a statement online saying: “Please be assured that this has been done completely without the permission of the group and the group are not connected in any way to any political party.

“We are in the process of finding out how this has happened and will make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

“We are a community based group trying to do only good for our whole community.”

John Whitehouse, of the CCABG, confirmed that Mr Brack had been suspended while investigations are carried out and said the group would not be used as a political pawn.

Secretary Kay Sandham added: “The group has no political allegiances, it was set up to benefit the village, not to influence politics.

“We cannot have this, we are there for the whole community and don’t want anyone to think we are linked to any political party.

“That party in particular is against a specific religion and individuals that live in this country and that’s outrageous.”

Mr Brack confirmed that he had mentioned the group on his flyers as he had been involved with them for some time.

He said that he hoped to be able to continue and enhance the good work the CCABG are doing in the community by supporting them in his role as a councillor, if elected.

Mr Brack said he shared some of the aims of the group, such as tackling parking problems around the Cockerton area, and would make those issues a priority, adding: “They are definitely not aligned with me but once a local representative is elected, you have to declare an interest and mention all the clubs and affiliations you have got.

“So it is really just being transparent to mention it now.”