The Labour Party has suspended one of its election candidates after he was linked to a social media account calling for the eradication of Islam.
Trevor Merralls, who was standing in the south east London seat of Old Bexley and Sidcup, said he was a victim of a 'vicious smear campaign'.
Merralls, who leads a black cab campaign group, has been suspended after he was linked to the @wellingblueboy twitter account that posted about taxi drivers but also made derogatory remarks about Islam.
According to Buzzfeed one post read: 'This is all leading to a fight of no surrender total war.'
Another user responded: 'Our battle is not yet with the Muslims, but those that appease them!!'
To which @wellingblueboy replied: 'If you follow it to its natural conclusion this is reckoning the left have deserved.'
In a separate post the account tweeted: 'On a positive note that should eradicate islam from our continent for years.'
It also discussed 'establishment' plans to kill off cab drivers and replace them with 'the Muslims'.
The account has since been deleted and Jeremy Corbyn's spokesman said the party was 'urgently investigating' the incident.
'If the allegations are found to be true, the strongest disciplinary action will be taken and he will be removed as a Labour candidate,' he said.
A later statement confirmed Merralls had been dropped and a replacement would be announced in due course.
'The Labour Party has always been at the forefront of standing against racism in all its forms,' it said. 'Hate and division have no place within our party.'
