Conservatives apologise for 'Enoch Powell' Facebook post backing Reform

'One of our volunteers was a little too eager'

Torbay’s Tories have apologised for publishing a social media post which urged local people to vote for their political opponents at the forthcoming elections.

Torbay Conservative Association published the post on Facebook, re-posting a contribution from a group calling itself ‘Enoch Powell Appreciation’.

The post included a picture of an agricultural trailer with a placard reading ‘Back A Farmer, Not Starmer’, with the text below ‘Send Starmer a message on May 1st. Vote Reform UK’.

The association re-posted the item, adding the word ‘Yes’.

Reform UK and the Conservatives have both campaigned against changes in inheritance tax brought in by the Labour government, saying they will be catastrophic for many family farms in places like rural Devon.

The government says it is introducing the change as part of measures to restore public finances.

Across the country Reform is vying with the Conservatives in the county elections which are due to be held on Thursday 1 May. The Conservatives say Labour politicians are also vulnerable to Nigel Farage's party.

Enoch Powell Appreciation is a Facebook group with 43,000 followers dedicated to the controversial right-wing Conservative and Ulster Unionist MP who died in 1998. He was known for his strong views on immigration and a notorious ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech in 1968 which led to him being sacked from his role as shadow defence secretary on Conservative leader Ted Heath's front bench.

North Devon MP, the Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe, suggested Mr Powell could be prosecuted for incitement.

The Enoch Powell Appreciation Facebook group says of him: “Immigration he was spot on. Terrorism he was spot on. EU he was spot on. Tax he was spot on”

The Torbay Conservative Association Facebook post has since been taken down.

Daniel Boatwright, the chairman of the association, said: “I must apologise on behalf of the association. One of our volunteers was a little too eager without realising the source.

“We have now taken the post down and are reviewing who has access to our page.”