Reform candidate linked with offensive social media posts 

Reform candidate Robert Smith. 

Reform’s candidate for Orkney and Shetland allegedly suggested former first minister Nicola Sturgeon should be shot and used a homophobic slur to describe people who took Covid vaccines, it has been reported.

Robert Smith is also accused, in a reference to the Royal family, of saying he would “prefer Fred and Rose [West] to any of these c***s”.

The former Brexit Party candidate likened the rainbow symbol used in support of the NHS during the pandemic to “the new swastika”.

Mr Smith’s social media posts were revealed last night by The Daily Mail and The Times.

Several posts can still be seen on his Twitter profile, @Robertbigbags, where he describes himself, among other things, as a fisherman, award-winning scallop supplier and “git”.

In one post from 2016 he shared an article about Nicola Sturgeon and said: “Since the great David Attenborough legitimised calls for political leaders to be shot, why not start with this bitch?”

During recent weeks, Reform has faced mounting criticism about its its vetting procedures after several candidates were found to have made offensive remarks on social media.

Reform leader Nigel Farage previously blamed the party’s vetting firm, saying it was paid £144,000 to carry out candidate checks but “not a single piece of work was delivered”.

Mr Farage also claimed the “mainstream media are trying to stitch us up because they are terrified”.

Mr Smith announced his candidacy by saying he would not be engaging in the election process other than as a name on the ballot paper “for those who share my horror at the activities of our political class”.

Since then, he has conducted radio interviews and sent letters to the local media, including The Shetland Times.

His latest letter accused governments, corporations, charities and the media of a globalist agenda – and blamed the “China-dominated UN” of instigating it.

He said Reform was the only “anti-globalist party on the ballot”.

Mr Smith and Reform have been approached for comment.