A former Parliamentary candidate has failed in his attempt to sue a Jewish blogger for libel.

Pro-cannabis campaigner Peter Reynolds claimed Sarah McCulloch had defamed him when she highlighted posts on his blog relating to homophobia, racism and sexism.

The High Court rejected Mr Reynolds’s claim and ordered him to pay Ms McCulloch’s costs.

She said the lawsuit had been an “expensive exercise in intimidation”. The final costs have yet to be determined.

When Mr Reynolds, of Dorset, stood in a parliamentary by-election in Corby last year he was forced to deny he was antisemitic after being accused of ranting about “evil Jews” in a series of blogs.

His site appeared to refer to Israelis as “Nazis” and attacked the BBC for showing a programme about Anne Frank.