Exclusive: almost half of billionaire Tory donor’s last 100 reposts were in support of rightwing party

A Tory peer and former party donor has shared dozens of social media posts supportive of Nigel Farage and Reform UK.

During the course of the election campaign Peter Cruddas, the billionaire Tory donor who was controversially ennobled by Boris Johnson, has reposted a string of material calling on voters to back Farage and his party.

Michael Cashman made the remark after the candidate for Canterbury said she was concerned about her safety

A Labour peer has apologised after accusing the party’s Canterbury candidate, Rosie Duffield, of being too “frit or lazy” to attend hustings.

Duffield, who is seeking re-election in Canterbury and has risen to prominence because of her views on sex and gender, said on Friday she would no longer attend hustings because of “constant trolling, spite and misinterpretation”.