EXCLUSIVE

Tom Gordon

Scottish Political Editor

A HOLOCAUST sceptic who was thrown out of Ukip for his extreme views is back helping the party at the general election, the Sunday Herald can reveal.

Right-wing blogger Alistair McConnachie, who refused to accept that the Nazis used gas chambers to kill Jews at Auschwitz, is supporting Ukip's candidate in Glasgow Central.

McConnachie was one of ten "subscribers" who signed the official nomination papers for Stuart Maskell earlier this month.

Ukip last night denied McConnachie had rejoined the party, however the SNP said the new connection was proof that "unpleasant extremists" were involved with Ukip.

Glasgow-based McConnachie has a history of controversy in and out of the anti-EU party.

He was its Scottish organiser from 1999 to 2001 and a candidate five times.

However in 2001 he was barred after comments about the Holocaust.

In an email to Ukip members, he said: "I don't accept that gas chambers were used to executive Jews for the simple fact that there is no direct physical evidence to show that such gas chambers ever existed... There are no photographs or films of execution gas chambers. Alleged eyewitness accounts are revealed as false or highly exaggerated."

Ukip tried to expel McConnachie for five years for bringing the party into disrepute.

Although this was cut to a one-year suspension on appeal, the party excluded him by refusing to renew his membership.

In 2007 McConnachie said he was not a Holocaust denier and was "quite prepared to accept that 6m Jews perished in the Holocaust" but still had doubts about gas chambers.

The 49-year-old, a regular speaker at London's Orange Street Church, which believes the Royal Family "is directly descended from the line of David", was the first individual to register as a No campaigner in the independence referendum last year.

After the vote, it emerged he provided "social media services" to the Orange Order.

The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, which was also a registered No campaigner, paid him almost £2000 for work in the four months leading up to the vote.

McConnachie was also paid £225 for flags two days before the Protestant movement held a huge pro-Union march in Edinburgh in September.

The Order's executive officer, Robert McLean subsequently said he was "shocked" and had never heard of McConnachie's Auschwitz comments.

Glasgow Central is one of the most closely watched seats in the general election.

Scottish Labour's former deputy leader Anas Sarwar, who won the seat in 2010 with a majority of 10,551 over the SNP, is being challenged by SNP councillor Alison Thewliss.

An SNP spokesman said: "This is just further confirmation of the unpleasant extremists involved with UKIP - which is why people in Scotland will continue to reject them at the ballot box."

Misty Thackeray, Ukip's Scottish chairman, said McConnachie was not a Ukip member, but he was known in the "Unionist circles" many Ukip members also moved in.

He told the Sunday Herald: "I have no idea why he signed it [the nomination form]. I would presume it's because he is a resident of Glasgow Central.

"I think accusations of extremism coming from a party with the SNP's past are a bit rich. They're not exactly the nicest of parties themselves. To throw this kind of nonsense at us is ridiculous. There's nothing remotely concerning or sinister in this.

"It's extremely unlikely that anyone knowing the potential pitfall would search out Alistair to sign his paperwork. He [Maskell] probably just thought he was just another signatory."

McConnachie failed to respond to calls and emails.