Scots to fight BNP

An anti-fascist movement is to launch a Scottish branch to battle the British National Party's largest ever Holyrood campaign.

The far-right BNP plan to field four candidates for every regional seat in May's Scottish parliamentary elections but Unite Against Fascism have announced a counter attack. The anti racist counter campaign will hold two large Love Music Hate Racism gigs and leaflet homes over the next two months. They have cross party support from the political opposition as well as endorsement from bands like Franz Ferdinand and the Chemical Brothers.

UAF Joint Secretary Weyman Bennett called BNP campaigning "really vicious stuff" but thought the party had overstated their popularity: "There is a good tradition of resisting the BNP in Scotland and we hope that that continues. These people can terrorise minority groups and if they are going to spread their propaganda to Scottish homes then we will retaliate with our own campaign."

This month the BNP were accused of exploiting electoral funding rules which grant them £670,000 in free publicity including a prime-time political broadcast and cash to distribute 2.6 million campaign leaflets for having 32 candidates. BNP Scotland spokesperson Kenny Smith said the party would target Glasgow: "We are in with a real shot in these elections. "The opposition are running scared that we will get a seat but... if we do it will be the democratic will of the people."

The BNP's Glasgow list candidate won 1.1% of the vote in 2003's Scottish election.

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