Stoke City confirm club 'does not support BNP' after candidate films campaign video in car park

David Furness is standing for the far-right party in next week's by-election

Stoke City Football Club have confirmed they "in no way support" the British National Party after one of its election candidates filmed a campaign video in the club's stadium car park.

David Furness, who is standing for the far-right party in the upcoming Stoke-on-Trent by-election, released footage on YouTube last week in which he discussed some of the club's most famous players and criticised the "out of touch" elite.

"Of course, Stanley Matthews, one of Britain's greatest footballers... he used to play for Stoke. As did Gordon Banks, the 1966 World Cup goalkeeper," Mr Furness explains in the shadow of the Bet365 stadium.

Mr Furness goes on to explain that the "other parties have betrayed the working class people" who have been "sacrificed on the altar of political correctness".

But for all his rudimentary knowledge of their history, the club has insisted it in no way supports his political views.

"Stoke City is aware that the BNP candidate in next Thursday's Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election, David Furness, recently posted online an election video filmed in a car park at the bet365 Stadium," a statement on the club's website read on Thursday.

"He did so without first seeking permission from the Club, which would have been refused in any case.

"The Club wishes to make it clear that it in no way supports his views or those of the BNP."

This is the second election in the space of a year in which Mr Furness has run.

In the London mayoral race he gained 13,325 votes - seven thousand short of that achieved by the Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol party candidate - after running a campaign which promised to "stop the Islamification of London".

His video from the Bet365 stadium, titled "Offering Real Choice", gained 342 views on YouTube in the six days between publication and the time of writing.

The Stoke-on-Trent by-election, which takes place next Thursday, was triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Tristram Hunt.

It has featured prominently in the news cycle in the past week for the involvement of Ukip leader Paul Nuttall who has come under fire for his claims over his attendance of the Hillsborough disaster.