A Conservative candidate standing in Peterborough has been dropped from active campaign support after revelations published by the Jewish Chronicle triggered an internal party suspension just days before the May 7 local elections.
Ishfaq Hussain, a former councillor for Dogsthorpe ward, has had his Conservative Party backing withdrawn following allegations over a series of social media posts, including the use of the term “Zio” — widely regarded as an antisemitic slur.
Despite the move, his name will still appear on ballot papers when voters head to the polls, and campaign posters across Peterborough continue to show him as the Conservative candidate.
Party acts after publication of posts
The controversy erupted after the Jewish Chronicle reported on multiple posts attributed to Hussain, including comments responding to political figures and reactions to high-profile events.
Among the posts highlighted was a response to comments by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage following the Manchester synagogue attack on Yom Kippur. Farage had expressed condolences to victims and the Jewish community, but Hussain allegedly replied accusing him of fuelling division and indirectly contributing to violence.
Other posts referenced in the report included criticism of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s appeal for calm and unity after the attack, alongside remarks about other political figures that have since been deleted.
Hussain had previously faced suspension in 2021 over separate comments relating to Jewish identity and Israel, before later being readmitted to the party after issuing an apology.
Conservatives withdraw support
Following the latest revelations, the Conservative Party confirmed it had taken immediate action.
A party spokesperson said: “These apparent comments are wholly unacceptable, and this individual has been suspended from the Conservative Party pending an investigation. Whilst this process is rightfully confidential, the Party has withdrawn support from their campaign with immediate effect.”
Although suspended, Hussain remains the official name on the ballot paper because of election timetable rules.
Still appearing on ballot paper
A key complication in the case is timing. Once nomination deadlines close, candidates cannot be removed from ballot papers even if they are later suspended or withdrawn from party endorsement.
The Cambridgeshire Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that although the Conservatives have withdrawn support, Hussain will still appear on the Dogsthorpe ballot paper because it is now too late for any changes to be made.
That means voters in the ward could still see his name listed under the Conservative label when they cast their vote on May 7, despite the party’s public distancing from his campaign.
Posters still on display
On the streets of Peterborough, election materials add another layer of confusion. Posters and leaflets already distributed continue to show Hussain as the Conservative candidate, with no visual indication of the party’s withdrawal of support.
Local residents have raised concerns that voters may not be fully aware of the change before polling day, particularly given the short timeframe between the suspension and the election.
Previous suspension and scrutiny
Hussain’s political record has previously attracted controversy. In 2021, he was suspended by the Conservative Party after Facebook comments that were widely criticised and referred to by the Jewish Leadership Council as antisemitic.
Those comments included claims that Jewish people living in Israel were not “true Jews” and references to a so-called “Zionist trilogy” involving multiple countries allegedly linked to extremism.
He later apologised and was reinstated to the party.
Wider political reaction
The latest allegations have prompted renewed criticism of the Conservative Party’s vetting process for local election candidates.
Opponents have questioned how a previously suspended candidate was able to stand again under the party banner, only to be dropped shortly before polling day.
A Reform UK spokesperson also criticised the situation, describing it as “astonishing” and raising concerns about candidate selection procedures.
Election day uncertainty
With just days until voters go to the polls, the Dogsthorpe contest now presents an unusual situation: a candidate still appearing on the ballot paper as Conservative, despite the party having publicly withdrawn support.
Unless Hussain formally withdraws — which is no longer possible at this stage — he will remain an option for voters on election day.
The case has turned what is usually a routine local council race into one of the most closely watched contests in Peterborough this cycle, with questions now focused not only on the posts themselves, but on how the situation was allowed to reach the ballot.
