AN election candidate has denied being a Nazi sympathiser with his party slamming the claims as “unacceptable” slur tactics.

Mick Spindler, a Liberal Democrats hopeful for the forthcoming Colchester Council elections next week, has been accused of making light of Adolf Hitler’s regime on social media.

Mr Spindler, who hopes to secure the Shrub End seat, used a photo of SS-Obersturmbannführer Ludwig Spindler as his profile picture in 2015.

The Second World War Nazi officer fought against British and Polish soldiers who were deployed on Operation Market Garden, which is commemorated in Colchester.

Gazette:

Mr Spindler, however, said the soldier in the photo, which was shared on a private page with friends and family, was, in fact, his great uncle, who served in the German army.

He said: “I shared this image as part of a trend at the time in which people changed their profile pictures to images of their relatives.

“However, I realised this could be misunderstood or seen as inappropriate and so took the post down.

“I understand the need to be more sensitive about my family history in future and fully condemn the barbaric actions of the regime he served.”

The Liberal Democrats have confirmed the claims as false and questioned the motive behind the accusations, given the Colchester Council election is now only days away.

Gazette:

A spokesman for the party said: “This is nothing more than an unacceptable political slur which lands less than two weeks before a local election.

“It highlights why people don’t wish to stand for election and enter public life when they have to deal with scurrilous and vexatious nonsense such as this.”

Mick Spindler will stand for Shrub End in the Colchester Council election alongside Luke Hayes (Lab) and Angela Linghorn-Baker (Con).

In total 62 candidates are running in the elections and voters will go to the ballot boxes next Thursday.