A petition to remove Alan Craig from the UKIP party after he referred to gay rights activists as the "Gaystapo" has been matched by another petition fighting for "political correctness to not infilitrate UKIP".
Mr Craig has been chosen to stand for south west London, which includes Hounslow , at the London Assembly elections in May.
The candidate has come under criticism for being selected after fellow UKIP members slammed him for comparing gay rights activists with the Nazis after he referred to them as the "Gaystapo" in a blog post.
Mr Craig was also invited to attend a "gay cure" conference in 2015, but told getwestlondon in a previous interview he had never expressed such a view himself and the term Gaystapo was "coined by the gay journalist Johann Hari", which he had borrowed to describe the politics of some gay activists.
'Say no to political correctness'
In response to the petition, other UKIP supporters have launched another, arguing for "free speech".
Named "Say NO to political correctness infiltrating UKIP", more than 600 signatories argue the party stands "against political correctness and champions conscience and free speech."
It goes on to say Alan Craig should not be removed as a candidate for expressing "traditional Christian views".
Mr Craig told getwestlondon he was asked by the party to no longer comment on the escalating issue.
Rival UKIP candidate alleges 'Vile homophobic abuse'
On the change.org site, 163 supporters, including members of the LGBT in UKIP group, and councillors across the country, said Mr Craig's views were not shared by the party.
UKIP deputy chairman and Greater London Authority candidate Suzanne Evans is one of around 40 party members who signed the petition to remove Alain Craig from the party after claiming he is homophobic.
Ms Evans said: "Our selection process has clearly failed here, for whatever reason, and so I have every confidence this matter will be put right."
Kent UKIP Councillor Lee Burgess added: "I work very hard for this party and will not have this effort undone by such a poor choice of candidate.
"I am amazed he got through the selection process.
"I believe in people's right to hold stupid views but we should not give them a platform or endorsement!"
Former gay UKIP member Richard Hendron, who stood for Brentford and Isleworth in 2015, resigned from the party in protest of the selection and said "he could simply not defend the party anymore".
He added: "Since raising my head above the parapet promoting LGBT issues in UKIP, trying to improve things for UKIP and the LGBT community, I have received the most vile homophobic abuse."
