Labour expects the “highest standard in all our candidates,” Anas Sarwar has said after the party suspended a Westminster hopeful accused of making pro-Putin posts on social media.

Andy Brown was dropped following reports he shared content which played Russia’s in the Salisbury poisonings.

According to the Press and Journal, he shared an article from Russian state media outlet RT which claimed the “toxin” used in the poisonings was “never produced in Russia, but was in service in the US, UK and other Nato states”.

Dawn Sturgess died after being exposed to the nerve agent Novichok, which had been left in a discarded perfume bottle in Amesbury, Wiltshire, in July 2018.

It followed the attempted murders of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia and ex-police officer Nick Bailey, who were poisoned in nearby Salisbury in March that year.

All three survived, as did Ms Sturgess’s boyfriend, Charlie Rowley.

In the same month Mr Brown also shared a quote from a Jewish historian which said: “The real issue … is that right-wing Jews in the Labour Party and outside the party object to the fact that Jeremy Corbyn is a consistent supporter of Palestinian rights.”

Speaking to the PA news agency during a campaign visit, Mr Sarwar said: “We’ve taken swift action. New information came to light to us last night and within hours this candidate was suspended pending an investigation.

“I think that’s right thing for us to do.”

The Scottish Labour leader added: “He’s been suspended pending investigation because of posts which we believe are unacceptable.

“We expect the highest standard in all our candidates and all those that seek to be representatives of the Labour Party.

“Clearly when new information came to light we took swift action in suspending this candidate and I think that’s the right thing for us to do.”

He also aligned himself with comments from shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves who told Sky News that she was “very, very pleased” Mr Brown had been suspended.

She said: “I hadn’t heard of this guy until this morning and I’m very, very pleased that I will hopefully not have to hear of him again because he’s been suspended as a Labour candidate.

“That is absolutely right. We’ve taken the swift action.

“As soon as these postings came to light, we got rid of him.”

But Mr Brown rejected the claims and suggested he had been “hung out to dry”.

He told the BBC: “I didn’t share those.

“Where they’ve been shared from or how has someone accessed my account and shared them, it may have been corrupted at some point – but honestly, I did not share those.”

Pressed on the possibility he had forgotten making the posts, he said: “No, I definitely didn’t make that. I would never like these at all. It’s not the sort of comments I would comment on.”

Mr Brown added: “Nobody has checked this, it is quite shocking that I’ve been treated this way. I’ve been hung out to dry, basically.”

Despite being suspended by the party, Mr Brown will still appear on the ballot paper on July 4 due to the deadline for nominations having passed, but he will not receive the backing of Labour.

Meanwhile, the SNP has backed two candidates caught up in similar social media storms. 

Robert Leslie, who is standing in Orkney and Shetland appeared to cast doubt on whether President Bashar Assad carried out chemical attacks in Syria.

Glen Reynolds, who is standing in West Aberdeen and Kincardine said he was "somewhat cynical about the anti-Russian, anti-Putin rhetoric" and described a speech by Vladimir Putin as "significant and illuminating."

The Tories had urged John Swinney's party to drop both candidates.

Asked about the comments during the SNP manifesto launch, the First Minister said: "I certainly think that it's proved beyond any doubt that the Assad regime undertook chemical attacks in Syria, and I completely deplore those actions.

"I'd have to look at any individual comments to determine whether there's any sanctions required to be taken. But let it be crystal clear that we condemn the actions of the Assad regime and their actions in relation to, well, not just chemical warfare, but a variety of other actions of the asset."

On Wednesday night, the SNP said they would be standing by their candidates. 

A spokesperson said: “Both candidates have made clear their full commitment to the SNP’s policy of unequivocal opposition to Putin’s evil regime and the need to counter it at every opportunity.

“That’s why we continue to extend our support to the Ukrainians bravely opposing Russian imperialism, and why we have consistently spoken out against Russian dark money that should have no place in UK politics.

“And we will take no lessons from the Tories in particular when it comes to Vladimir Putin. It’s well known that in the run up to the 2014 referendum, former Prime Minister David Cameron was begging Putin to help him stop Scottish independence."