The racism controversy overwhelming Ukip’s election campaigns deepened yesterday after a party candidate tweeted that Lenny Henry should emigrate to a “black country.”

The latest screw-up came from William Henwood, standing to be a councillor for Enfield Town, London, when he made the comment about the actor and comedian.

In response to a speech by Mr Henry in which he said ethnic minorities were under-represented on British television, Mr Henwood posted on Twitter: “He should emigrate to a black country. He does not have to live with whites.”