A former Bury councillor candidate is still listed as a senior member of the Manchester Conservatives on its website five months after being suspended after an anti-Semitic post emerged on his social media account.

Former Bury Conservative candidate, Sham Raja, was set to be standing to represent Sedgely, which has a large Jewish population, in the local elections in May.

But in April he was dropped by the Bury party after a post on his account dating back to 2014 emerged which compared Israeli footballers to "assassins".

Bury Times: Sham RajaSham Raja (Image: LDRS)

He was elected as deputy chairman of the Manchester Conservatives at the group's annual general meeting (AGM) on March 1, before the social media activity was detected by the Bury group, but was subsequently suspended the following month.

A Manchester Conservatives spokesman said: “Sham Raja was elected as deputy chairman at our AGM on March 1, 2022 and was subsequently suspended in April.

“It is not correct to say that we 'elected Sham Raja to be the new deputy chair of the Manchester Conservatives when he had been suspended by the Bury Conservatives'.”

Publication Jewish News has reported that earlier this year the Bury Conservatives group made a social media statement after Mr Raja was allegedly spotted at a local elections event.

A Bury group spokesman added: “We suspended Sham Raja from the Conservative Party as soon as the postings came to light.

“We have been clear that he should not, and does not, represent our party at events like these.”

Despite the Manchester Conservatives stating Raja has been suspended, he is still listed on its website with the title of "deputy chairman membership".

The Manchester Conservatives have been approached for a comment about why he is still pictured on the website and as being in the senior role.