BNP plans poll push

Far-right party the BNP launched its biggest election assault on Merseyside yesterday, fielding 20 candidates for the May vote. In Liverpool, they have submitted nine nominations – eight more than last year – including one in Norris Green, where they came in second in 2006.

In Sefton, five BNP candidates are standing, while Knowsley has two and St Helens four. None is being put up in Wirral.

Anti-racism campaigners last night branded the party “modern- day fascists” and urged people to vote against them on May 3. Alec McFadden said: “Even in Mosley’s era, there weren’t as many candidates as this. The views they are peddling are sickening and we are doing everything we can to stop them. In the run-up to Capital of Culture, it is a real slap in the face to the city that so many candidates have been put forward for this party.”

The BNP yesterday set out its pledges for the region if it was elected, which included stopping schools serving Halal meat and preventing mosques from being built. Its spokesman also explained the party believed Chinese people were “OK because they are hard-working” and “were not in the nefarious activities some ethnic groups are”.

Mr McFadden said “What is frightening is that they must have had 108 people backing them to get to this stage, as each nomination needs 12 signatures. The BNP has been targeting areas of deprivation and poverty across the city, picking places with problems and a lack of resources. We are urging candidates for parties that know they have got no hope of winning a seat to withdraw to ensure that they don’t split the vote in wards where the BNP is standing.

“We have also got 35,000 leaflets to send out to across the city informing people about the BNP. I would urge everyone to make sure they are registered to vote and to get out there on polling day.”

Cllr Steve Radford, Liberal group leader, said: “The BNP would have me gassed on three counts – I’m gay, I’m a Liberal and I’m a Methodist. But I would defend to the hilt their right to stand for election in a democracy and I look forward to beating them at the ballot boxes.”

icLiverpool