Tory candidate for Brentwood South resigns after tweeting that Islam was the "religion of rape"

David Bishop had to step down after anti-Islamic and homphobic posts were found on his Twitter account

A Conservative local election candidate who tweeted that it was good to be anti-Islam and that the Islam was the "religion of rape", has had to resign just weeks after being chosen to represent the party in the Brentwood local elections.

David Bishop, who was due to stand as the Conservative candidate for the ward of Brentwood South, Essex, later this month, resigned yesterday after local press discovered anti-Islamic and homophobic tweets on his twitter account.

In a tweet posted just two days after being selected Bishop posted that Islam was the” religion of peace’ & rape”, after it was announced that four Muslim men had been arrested for the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Chesham, Buckinghamshire.

Bishop also posted links to videos of the controversial comedian Pat Condell who has said in the past that Islam was a “religion of war” and that the prophet Muhammad had a “psychological disorder.”

In addition to this, there were a number of homophobic messages including one that asked how a "gay guy could keep a straight face" and questioned the BBC’s decision to broadcast a lesbian kiss before the watershed.

Initially, when questioned by The Brentwood Gazette about the tweets, Bishop has said that they had been posted to make such views look stupid.

After standing down, however, he released a statement on the Brentwood and Ongar Conservative Association (BOCA) website that said that he “had let the party down” and that he would not be asking voters to not vote for him on May 22.

He added: "I recognise that someone standing for public office should show leadership and seek to unite communities, not divide them. I hope the residents of Brentwood South can forgive my lack of judgement in time."

This was followed by a statement, Louise McKinlay, group leader of Brentwood Conservatives, which said that the views of Bishop had "no place in our team".

She said: "David's decision to step down was the right thing to do and I am pleased the party has backed this and accepted his resignation from the team and from the party."

As of yet, no one has been named as replacement in the elections for the Conservative stronghold of Brentwood South, which are set to take place in just three weeks’ time.

The news of Bishop’s inflammatory comments comes on the day when UKIP announced that they would be suspending one of their election candidates after making similar comments on twitter.

Harry Perry, who was seeking election in the Offerton ward in Stockport, was suspended by the party after tweeting that Islam was "evil" and homosexuality was an "abomination before god.”.