Reform UK has been forced to drop a candidate for the next general election after they realised he had passed away.
Gawain Towler, a spokesperson for the party, said he was “mortified” after the party announced that York Central candidate Tommy Cawkwell had been dropped after it turned out he had died.
When Mr Cawkwell failed to respond to a number of phone calls and emails, Reform rescinded his candidacy for being “inactive”.
It then emerged that Mr Cawkwell, an RNLI volunteer, had died following the selection process.
Mr Towler told the Mirror: “Naturally I am mortified that through ignorance I did not realise the reason for his inactivity, it must have been ghastly for his family to read about it in the way it was presented in the press.”
Reform has been contacted by the PA news agency for comment.
Related: Lee Anderson reveals he won’t campaign in his Tory friends’ seats