Rachel Frosh's Tweet.

A deputy police and crime commissioner in Hertfordshire, England has resigned after sending a Tweet that appeared to compare political opponents to Nazis.

Rachel Frosh retweeted a message which stated: “Dear #Socialists, embrace your inner #Nazism” earlier this month.

On Wednesday she quit despite saying she did not remember sending the message. She did say, however, that the sentiment wasn’t one she opposed.  “My considered view is that the origins of Nazism do lie in traditional socialism and when the BNP do well it is with disaffected Labour voters.”

Dr. Frosh added that she “believes most Labour politicians to be honourable decent people who do not have any truck with the politics of hate.

“The modern Labour party bears no resemblance to the BNP or similar parties.”

Frosh said she resigned to allow police commissioner David Lloyd to maintain “constructive working relations with local politicians of all parties.”

“It would never be my intention to give that impression about Labour – who I have shared places with not only at Holocaust remembrances but also other human rights and anti-racist gatherings,” she said.

Mr Lloyd said: “I am sad to have to accept Rachel’s resignation.

“She has taken the honorable course of action by making this decision and I will miss her valuable contribution to my work to further improve policing and crime reductions for the public of Hertfordshire.”