A Conservative General Election candidate has come under fire after claiming British Jews return from trips to Israel as ‘brainwashed extremists’.

Amjad Bashir has apologised for his comments, which resurfaced this week after being made in a speech to the European parliament when he was a Ukip MEP in 2014.

However, his party agent Dan Cohen has reportedly claimed he will not campaign for him in Leeds North East, where there is a large Jewish community, and is demanding an inquiry into the incident.

In a speech delivered to the European Parliament in Brussels, Amjad Bashir said: ‘As far as brainwashing by the rabbis and the politicians are concerned – I can testify to that.

‘Young men are going over from England where I come from – people of the Jewish faith who my grandchildren have grown up with as decent young men.

‘But have come back as extremists – as people that are brainwashed.

‘They will not listen to reason. There is something very peculiar and wrong going on in Israel.’

Mr Bashir was confirmed as the Tory candidate to fight the December 12 election last week and is trying to unseat Labour’s Fabian Hamilton.

The restaurateur defected from the Conservatives to Ukip in 2012, before returning in 2015.

His speech sparked outrage from Lib Dem Leeds North East candidate Jon Hannah who wrote on Twitter: ‘Is it just me or have the Tories lost the plot?

‘Putting an ex-UKIP MEP who talks publicly about how the ‘Israeli State brainwashes English Jews’ up as a candidate in Leeds North East?

‘Repellant anti-semitism. It seems it isn’t just Labour with a problem.’

Sam de Kare-Silver added: ‘Conservatives need to act quick and remove Amjad Bashir for his repellent comments on Jews and Israel.’

In a statement issued on Monday, Mr Bashir told the Jewish Chronicle: ‘I deeply regret the comments I made around brainwashing – this was borne from a personal experience but it was completely wrong and I apologise unreservedly for it.

‘I have always been a strong advocate of a two state solution between Israel and Palestine so we can finally put an end to this conflict and the bloodshed and pain it has caused on both sides.

‘Having visited Gaza in the past, I did speak with a degree of emotion about the humanitarian situation I witnessed there, and frustration about the lack of progress towards establishing a lasting peace for the benefit of both Israel and Palestine, but I accept the tone I took has caused alarm and distress within the Jewish community, for which I apologise.’

‘I continue to believe that the only hope for lasting peace for both Israel and Palestine is constructive dialogue and I will continue to work with both communities to do whatever I can to help achieve that, in particular our strong Jewish community in Leeds North East.’

Metro.co.uk has contacted Mr Bashir and Mr Cohen for comment.

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