An NDP candidate in the B.C. election campaign has stepped down over racy photos that surfaced on the social networking site Facebook.

Ray Lam, the New Democrat candidate for Vancouver-False Creek, announced his decision Sunday night.

One of the photos showed Lam grabbing a woman's chest, while another depicted two people clutching at his underwear.

"An issue was made regarding inappropriate material on my private Facebook page,'' Lam said in an email statement.

"I regret this material and the associated comments that have now become public."

"I do not want this to be a distraction in the election campaign and have advised the party that I am stepping down,'' he said.

Lam apologized to B.C. NDP Leader Carole James and wished her party the best of luck in the coming election.

NDP President Jeff Fox said the party would nominate a new candidate in the next few days to run in the Vancouver-False Creek riding.

Lam's chief opponent, Liberal candidate Mary McNeil, said the entire debacle showed Lam's inexperience.

"It's not a matter of the fact that the photos were there. It's that voters hold you up to a certain standard and they should and I think sometimes if you do things like that, it's just not appropriate,'' she said.

"I think, quite frankly, they were just inexperienced and it shows a lack of judgment.''

When asked if she thought this might help her chances of winning the riding , McNeil said she doesn't think so.

"I still have an opponent out there,'' she said. "I'm just talking to folks in the riding. I think the big issues for them are the economy and crime and that's what I want to focus on.''

Sunny Dhillon reports for The Canadian Press.