LibDem quits in anti-Semitic row

A Liberal Democrat candidate resigned suddenly yesterday after it emerged he used the website of a radical muslim group, which has been accused of links to anti-semitic leaflets, to promote his campaign.

Ajmal Masroor, who was the Lib Dem candidate in West Ham, appealed on the website of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC) for volunteers to help his campaign.

MPAC has launched a "political jihad" against MPs who backed the war on Iraq and who it claims are "zionists". It called Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, "one of the most powerful zionist war-mongers in Britain".

The Lib Dems refused to say whether they had told the candidate to resign or welcomed his resignation.

Lord Rennard, Liberal Democrat chief executive, has said the party disassociated itself from MPAC.