Brexit Party candidate suggests Remainers should be thrown into the Tower of London

Amid Brexiteers longing for a rosy, forgotten past (let’s not even start trying to unpack that here), it should be clear to even the most patriotic of Brits that certain UK institutions are much, much better left in the past.

Things like, just maybe, the death penalty and medieval-style torture.

Inspired by “Tory Remainers and rebels”, one Brexit Party candidate planning a day out with his kids believed he’d found the perfect activity.

Eschewing benign, outdated traditions like throwing chunks of bread at ducks or soaring too high on rusty swings, Darren Selkus decided he’d “take them down to the Tower of London and show them how the UK used to deal with traitors committing treason”.

A Brexit Party spokesperson said their candidate for Epping Forest "was merely showing his children how things have improved for the better".

But the video, titled "What do you do with traitors?" didn't go down particularly well.

Many felt it revealed a terrifying authoritarianism that didn't quite chime with the Brexit Party's self-portrayal as the defenders of democracy.

Some questioned Mr Selkus' definition of "treason".

Others just found it downright strange.

On Tuesday, Mr Selkus said the video had "attracted a lot of attention and fuss​" and revealed:

“It was a great day out, my kids loved it, and I showed them how fortunate we are that things have moved forward since the Middle Ages.”

The Brexit Party's full statement, which heavily echoed Mr Selkus' video, said:

As is clear from the video, Mr Selkus is referring to history, not the present. This can be worked out by the phrase ‘used to’.

We have come to a very pretty pass when even referring to historical fact can get one in trouble with those who police our language, our thoughts and our history.

There is no suggestion that Mr Selkus is proposing such draconian measure when discussing those who have travelled across the channel to request that the EU makes life as hard as possible for the UK, in order that they can overturn the result of the biggest vote in our long and distinguished history.

Luckily, one person at least seems to be highly receptive to veiled death threats.

More: The Dad’s Army intro has been hilariously edited for the Brexit Party