James Cleverly has accused Nigel Farage of spreading “gossip and hearsay” following the killing of three younger ladies in Southport.
The Reform UK chief posted a video shortly after the murders suggesting “the reality is being withheld from us” by the police.
He additionally repeated false claims that the alleged killer was being watched by the safety companies.
A vigil for the victims, who had been all below 10 years outdated, later descended into violence, sparking far-right riots all through the nation.
Farage has since admitted that he was repeating false claims made on social media by, amongst others, Andrew Tate.
He has defended his actions by insisting he was solely looking for out “the reality”.
On Occasions Radio this morning, Cleverly, who’s working to be Tory chief, stated Farage “must determine is he a politician or is a social media content material creator”.
He stated: “I feel a few of the issues that he has framed as questions are clearly designed to generate site visitors, generate digital content material, and he must determine is he a politician or is a social media content material creator as a result of there’s a friction between these two capabilities.
“As politicians, we have now an obligation to suppose very very rigorously about what we do and really very rigorously about what we are saying. What we should do is just not deliberately reinforce gossip and hearsay, significantly if it has critical actual world implications.
“The query that he might want to ask himself and maybe others as nicely is do you consider parliament is a crucial establishment the place critical choices are made and the nation is ruled or is it simply a part of a PR operation for clicks and likes and monetised content material.
“That’s the query I’d pose to anyone and everyone when commenting about very delicate points just like the brutal homicide of these little ladies in Southport.”
One other Tory management candidate, Mel Stride, has additionally attacked Farage’s response to the Southport killings.
He instructed Sky Information: “His suggestion that the police may not have been telling the reality about that state of affairs, I feel helped gas conspiracy theories round what was occurring [and] was deeply unhelpful.”