Lib Dem candidate dropped after Tory death comment

Mr Milne has said he deeply regrets the comments

A parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats has been deselected after he was reported as saying Tories should be "burned at the stake".

Galen Milne stood for the party in Banff and Buchan at the 2017 general election.

In an online post naming leading Brexit supporters, Mr Milne is alleged to have said they should be "hung, drawn and quartered" before being burned.

Mr Milne has said he deeply regrets the "offensive statements".

The remarks were directed towards Prime Minister Boris Johnson, frontbenchers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Michael Gove, former International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and ex-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis.

'Tory rats'

The post attributed to Mr Milne said: "Johnson, Fox, Gove, Davis, Rees-Mogg should be hung, drawn and quartered, with each quarter being sent to the 4 corners of the UK to be burned at the stake".

It also described Conservative MPs as "Tory rats" who "rear their ugly heads".

After his party dropped him as a candidate, Mr Milne said: "I deeply regret the offensive statements on social media. I want to apologise to anyone that I have offended."

A Scottish Liberal Democrats spokesman confirmed Mr Milne would not stand for the party at the next election.

He said: "Such language is unacceptable and offensive. Galen Milne will not be a Liberal Democrat candidate at the general election."