Even for Ukip, this is ridiculous

A campaign poster sent out by a Ukip prospective parliamentary candidate states that benefits claimants should be banned from driving and that cyclists should be banned from the road altogether.

In a sign-off that sounds like something straight out of the manifesto of Al Murray's spoof FUKP party, the poster claims: "Yet again we're proposing common sense policies and common sense solutions."

A cropped photograph of the poster was shared widely on social media on Wednesday with users suggesting that Lynton Yates, the Ukip candidate for the Charnwood constituency in Leicestershire, was behind it - photos of the full poster then appeared to back this claim up.

Another suggestion Yates puts forward was to deport convicted criminals in order to save money for OAP's winter fuel bills.

I personally would look to overseas countries who could tender for their incarceration. I'm sure they could dramatically reduce the cost to the taxpayer.

Obviously the Human Rights activists will be up in arms, another great reason to get out of the European Union and their Human Rights Act.

• Lynton Yates, Ukip

The poster initially seems to have been published on Facebook by a blogger called Mum Juice who told i100.co.uk that the leaflet was posted to her on the 20th January.

The only reason it is crumpled is that my first reaction was to throw it in the recycling!

• Mum Juice

On Thursday Ukip said Mr Yates had been suspended as the party's candidate for Charnwood. However, he is expected to remain in his role as councillor in Glenfield.

Yates was also unavailable for comment when contacted by i100.co.uk but the Mirror reported they had spoken to him on Wednesday.

He reportedly told the paper that taking away the driving licences of the unemployed was "a possibility" and "it seems ludicrous to me" that bicycles are allowed on the road.

"I'm sure people will say 'what if they've got a job interview'," he said. "Well I'm sure if you had nothing to do you could leave a bit earlier and get a bus."

Here are copies of the full poster, as provided by Mum Juice:

A Ukip spokesperson did not comment directly on the poster itself on Wednesday but said in statement: "These are not Ukip policies and they will not form part of the Ukip manifesto."

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