PETER Tatchell tonight apologised after standing down as the Green Party’s candidate for Oxford East because of brain damage he said was suffered from beatings during his human rights campaigning.

Mr Tatchell said his injuries — which he claimed he suffered at the hands of minders of Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe in 2001 and during a gay rights demonstration in Moscow in 2007 — had left him unable to campaign effectively for the East Oxford seat.

Mr Tatchell was selected as the Green candidate in April 2007 after which he said he was campaigning and doorstepping in the constituency between one and three days a week.

But since January, the 57-year-old said he had only been in Oxford East once a month as he battled to regain his health.

The human rights campaigner said he was partially paralysed down the left side of his body after receiving seven blows from Mr Mugabe’s bodyguards when he attempted to make a citizen’s arrest of the dictator in Brussels. He said he also suffered blurred vision in his right eye, headaches and dizzy spells. His problems had been compounded by an accident in which his head struck a metal pole when a bus swerved in Devon in July.

Mr Tatchell, who lives in South London, said: “To some extent I do feel that I have let down the Green Party and Oxford voters, but I hope they understand that my bad health has forced this decision on me.

“My hope was I would start to improve but sadly that hasn’t happened.”

Steve Goddard, the Liberal Democrat’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Oxford East, said: “Peter has my utmost respect for all his campaigning work on human rights over the years and it is very sad that injuries sustained in fighting for justice have forced him to step aside.”

Oxford East MP Andrew Smith said: “It’s a personal tragedy for Peter, and I wish him all the best for his recovery.”

The Oxford Green Party will now hold a new vote to select a fresh candidate, and expects to make the decision in January.

Green city councillor Matt Morton,who was beaten by Mr Tatchell for the candidacy, said he was considering standing.

He added: “It’s somewhat of a setback because we were drawing good support for him and Peter’s a very good campaigner.”