Mr Hartley will still appear on the ballot paper as a Reform UK candidate, as his suspension was announced after candidate lists were published.
But within an hour of being sent the posts by the BBC, Reform UK confirmed he no longer had the party’s support.
A Reform UK spokesman said: “Mr Hartley has been suspended as a member and is now not a Reform UK candidate.
“We have subsequently withdrawn all support for his candidacy.”
The party’s leader Nigel Farage said previously that candidates would be vetted ahead of the local elections.
Mr Hartley said he thought it was “fair enough” that Reform UK had suspended him over the posts.
He said: “I may have forgotten to tell them about my Twitter [X] account, which I use sporadically when I just want to vent.
“I understand Reform have got to be careful.”
