Twickenham’s BNP parliamentary candidate has denied he is a Nazi, after an undercover newspaper sting caught him giving a right-arm salute at a Hungarian pop concert.

Chris Hurst, of Whitton, claimed he was drunk and just copied everyone else in the crowd when he was pictured saluting far-right Swedish singer Saga, whose lyrics were said to have inspired Norwegian killer Anders Breivik.

He also reportedly shouted “Sieg heil” and made shocking comments about Breivik’s massacre, blaming it on immigration.

However, the 22-year-old insisted he “completely condemned” the atrocity and claimed the Sun had misinterpreted him.

Mr Hurst, the BNP’s London regional secretary, who stood against Vince Cable in the last general election, said he travelled to Hungary alone and friends there invited him to the festival, which was believed to have been attended by thousands of neo-Nazi’s from across Europe.

He said: “I went to a concert, I’m 22-years-old, I got drunk and I did what everybody else in the club was doing and put my arm in the air - it’s a storm in a tea cup.

“It’s a right arm salute, I’m putting my arm in the air. I’m not a Nazi, everyone who knows me in Twickenham knows that.”

The Sun reported Mr Hurst was at the rally on Tuesday with a Hungarian-born BNP friend, who he said was treasurer of the party’s East End of London branch.

Mr Hurst, who won 654 votes at last year’s general election, said he did not know if he would stand again for the Twickenham seat but did not rule it out.

Twickenham MP Vince Cable said the Sun’s investigation was a “clear warning” to voters in his constituency.

The BNP hand-picked Mr Hurst to help organise its campaigns for the next local London and mayoral elections and he will vet candidates, according to the Sun.

Dr Cable said: “I don’t have any illusions about the BNP, they are a thoroughly nasty party with links to the neo-Nazi right.

“Fortunately the BNP have very little support in Twickenham, but this is a clear warning to local residents to be aware.

“Six hundred votes is not very much, but if there’s about 600 then probably they need to be more careful who they are voting for.”

Mr Hurst said: “I would like the opportunity to meet Vince Cable and explain what the party believes.”