THE LIBERAL Democrat candidate for Basingstoke says he has already apologised "unreservedly" for comments likening the Conservative government to Adolf Hitler.

Screenshots surfaced on Monday that show Sashi Mylvaganam, who is standing in Thursday's general election, likening the actions of Boris Johnson to the Nazi dictator.

It transpires that the post was copied and pasted from an "internal piece" from a fellow councillor, Cliff Betton, who told the Gazette he thought the Prime Minister an "alien buffoon".

However, Mr Mylvaganam has since defended himself, saying: "We have deleted it, and we have apologised for it unreservedly."

When the Gazette contacted him, there was confusion as Mr Mylvaganam first claimed he didn't know about the post, protesting: "I never said it."

It appears that the post, from August 30, 2019, was written by Cllr Betton, a Surrey Heath councillor in the same ward that Mr Mylvaganam represents.

However, it was shared from the Basingstoke candidates' account, as was an apology two days later from Cllr Betton.

It labelled the post an "internal piece", saying: "That this labelling was offensive to some people is something that was not intended and for which I apologise."

When Cllr Betton was contacted by the Gazette, he laughed, saying: "It was a play on words with regards to Theresa May when she said some people think of the Tories as the nasty party.

"It's a play on words and that's all it was. If people want to take offence to that then there's nothing I can do to stop it."

Cllr Betton described Mr Johnson as "very dangerous", adding: "I think he comes across as an alien buffoon but he is very intelligent and he has his own agenda.

"His intentions are not clear with what he wants to do with this country. His ex-wife probably doesn't trust him either."