A BRITISH National Party county council candidate who trades in Second World War German memorabilia say he plans to sue an anti-fascist campaign group for libel.

Keith Beaumont, who is standing for the far-right party in the Clacton East division refutes a series of claims highlighted by the Searchlight group.

The claims cannot be repeated for legal reasons, but Mr Beaumont, of Holland-on-Sea, told the Gazette he denied the allegations.

“I run a small militaria business,” he said.

“I utterly refute any concoctions that I am or have any affiliations with neo-Nazi organisations.

“I am a British Nationalist and proud my father and other close relatives fought to save this country from Nazism. When I was a young lad, this memorabilia, which is my trade now, was classed as war booty, bought back by our victorious troops.

“Just because I sell German and British Second World War militaria does not mean I am a Nazi.”

He added: “The BBC costumes and props department probably has the largest amount of German wartime militaria in the country. Does that mean the BBC is sympathetic to, or run by, Nazis?”

Mr Beaumont’s website business, Last Reich, sells a range of Nazi and SS memorabilia and clothing. But the website states all articles offered are intended “for the purposes of historical study only and do not represent any political view”.

A spokesman for Mr Beaumont said legal action was now pending against Searchlight following its claims.

A spokesman for Searchlight said: “We look forward to being sued by Keith Beaumont.

“This is a man who runs a shop selling Nazi memorabilia and he profits from the sale of it.”

* Candidates in Clacton East are Dominique Azid (Lib Dem), Keith Beaumont (BNP), Eleanor Gordon (Green), Norman Jacobs (Lab), Linda Mead (Con) and Pierre Oxley (Tendring First). Voters go to the polls on Thursday.