Labour candidate says England flags are for simpletons and casual racists

A Labour Party candidate in Ceredigion has apologised “wholeheartedly” for suggesting Tippex be thrown over cars displaying English flags.

Huw Thomas, in 2006, said that he refused to buy English flags as he was “neither a simpleton nor a casual racist”.

Mr Thomas even attacked shops for selling flags and “making the situation worse”.

He says that shops were selling the flags during the 2006 World Cup to “cash in, using special offers and social pressure to create a fake group mentality – Nationalism Asda style!”

Writing during the tournament nine years ago he said: “Having said this, I had the opportunity, when I had the opportunity to buy an England flag for half price in WH Smith, Oxford, to answer with the phrase: ‘Since I am neither a simpleton nor a casual racist I must decline your offer’. Poor ‘Stacey’ didn’t know where to look.”

In a statement on Friday, Mr Thomas said: “I apologise wholeheartedly for these comments, made while I was a young student. These are not my views now and I deeply regret writing this post online.

“Every candidate at this election will have gone through a political journey. Most will have said or thought things when they were young and at university, college or school that they now regret. This is certainly the case for me.”

Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader, has been promoting the story while Conservative MP Bob Neill said that Ed Miliband should sack him as a candidate.

Last year Emily Thornberry resigned from the Labour front bench after posting a tweet of a white van parked on a drive in Rochester in the shadow of three England flags. Mr Miliband said that the tweet “conveyed a sense of disrespect”.