A TORY council hopeful, exposed by The National as a former UKIP candidate and as having an interest in far-right commentators including the former head of the Ku Klux Klan, has been dropped.

Jamie Robertson was standing as a candidate at the upcoming council elections for the Tories but has now been axed by the party, a spokesman has confirmed.

READ MORE: Tories stand Dennistoun candidate with interest in KKK commentator David Duke

His social media revealed he had called for a ban on Islamic slaughter methods and once approvingly shared a video on Facebook featuring a Brexit campaigner who was filmed in 2019 calling a Remainer a “f****** traitor” at a rally.

And he followed a YouTube account that exclusively posted audio clips of interviews with the ex-grand wizard of the KKK, David Duke.

Robertson also followed Sargon of Akkad, a far-right commentator who lost the ability to earn cash from his videos after he told the feminist Labour MP Jess Phillips he “wouldn’t even rape” her.

He will no longer contest the Dennistoun ward of Glasgow City Council this May after an investigation by the party.

The Tories had previously insisted he followed the accounts by mistake but on Friday confirmed he would no longer stand for the party in May.

A spokesperson told The National: “After an investigation we decided he was not suitable to stand for the party.”

Robertson’s Facebook shows he shared a petition calling for a ban on halal butchery in 2016. He wrote: “This goes against our traditions. At least the animals should be stunned.”

Concerns had been raised about Robertson’s fitness to represent Dennistoun, in the East End of Glasgow.

READ MORE: Tory Glasgow Langside candidate faces calls to stand down for ‘racist’ post

Councillor Kim Long, who represents the area for the Greens had previously told The National: “It would be very concerning if a candidate held views that put them at odds with work towards a fairer Glasgow – the Conservative Party should clarify Mr Robertson’s views before Dennistoun goes to vote.”

Anne McLaughlin, the SNP MP for Glasgow North East, also said of the revelations: “Someone who openly follows a vlogger who thinks it’s acceptable to tell a woman that – effectively – she is not attractive enough for him to rape her, is far from appropriate.

“It’s simple to unfollow someone, you click a button, it takes one second. The fact that he hasn’t done that speaks volumes.”

Robertson had unfollowed the channels after the Scottish Conservatives were approached for comment last week.

It comes after the Scottish Tories were urged to conduct a “thorough” probe of their candidates after The National exposed unsavoury posts from their current crop of local government hopefuls.