UKIP’s candidate for Newport East is under pressure to stand down today after he allegedly engaged with the EDL and BNP.

Donald Grewar is being investigated by the party after a fellow member of Newport’s Ukip branch posted comments he apparently made on social media to the far right parties.

He replied “Well said” in response to a message on the BNP website referring to gay people as "perverts" and “paedophiles".

And he responded to an EDL post warning of ‘no surrender to militant Islam or political correctness’ with the comment: “Thus sais it all... the mood of the nation... well done EDL” [sic].

Current Labour MP Jessica Morden said: “The Ukip candidate’s apparent support for comments on the BNP and EDL website are deeply concerning. Propaganda from these organisations do nothing more than offend and divide communities.

"Ukip say that former BNP members are banned but here you have a Ukip Parliamentary candidate openly flirting with the far right. This is just the latest in a number of scandals engulfing Ukip’s Welsh candidates in recent months over their poisonous rhetoric. Nigel Farage needs to take control of the situation and rid his party of these individuals.”

Natasha Asghar, Conservative candidate for Newport East, said: “I’m a believer in politics as an open platform, but what I will not stand for and I will not tolerate is any form of extremism. I think any party in such a position should take action.

“We all make mistakes - but why were the comments not deleted? If no attempt was made to retract or apologise for the comments then clearly the feelings still remain.”

Liberal Democrat candidate Paul Halliday said: “His support for the EDL and their views is not welcome within Newport East. Mr Grewar should not be a candidate in this election and his views have no place in Newport. Ukip need to sack him as their candidate before the Welsh Alliance march on Saturday in Newport.”

Plaid Cymru’s candidate Tony Salkend said: "These are serious allegations that will be extremely worrying for the people of Newport. If the Ukip candidate did indeed compose these intolerant messages, then Ukip should remove him as a candidate and consider how people who hold such views can feel at home in their party".

But the Green Party’s candidate David Mclean said: “I’m not keen on getting into negative stuff about other candidates. My opinion is that what Ukip get up to is their issue - I know the party is having some internal strife and splits and that’s their issue to deal with. My concern is about providing a vision for a more sustainable Newport.”

Donald Grewar has declined to comment.

A Ukipspokesman said the party had nothing further to add from its previous statement: “Ukip takes all complaints and concerns seriously and fully investigates all issues brought to our attention. Party members living in Newport recently raised some concerns with the party through our internal procedures and the party acted swiftly in ordering an investigation into these matters. When the full facts become known we will release a full statement on our website."