Reform UK backs candidates who promoted online conspiracy theories

Party stands by members set to contest key seats who have claimed climate crisis does not exist and Islamophobia is made up'

Reform UK has chosen to stand by candidates who have promoted conspiracy theories online, called the climate emergency make-believe" and expressed vaccine-sceptic views.

Those fringe views, and more, were put forward by a group of seven candidates selected to stand for the rightwing populist party at the next general election - including several who will contest seats that some analyses consider to be their top targets.