Councillors vent anger at the BNP

Stoke-on-trent city councillors launched a furious attack on the British National Party (BNP) at a meeting yesterday. The tirade came after BNP councillors demanded an apology from elected mayor Mark Meredith for refusing to include them in discussions about policy-making.

Councillor Alby Walker, leader of the BNP Group, said: "More than 8,000 people voted for the BNP last May and Mr Meredith is saying to each and every one of them that they don't count."

Mr Meredith said he would always treat individual BNP city councillors with respect, but he would not tolerate the far right party's policies. He refused to apologise and said: "I believe the BNP is a divisive party."

In May's local elections, the BNP gained three more seats but lost sitting councillor Steve Batkin in Longton North. Soon after the election fellow Longton North councillor Mark Leat was removed from the group after internal disagreements, leaving the BNP with six out of 60 councillors.

Councillor Mike Tappin, leader of the Labour Group, told yesterday's meeting: "Let the word go forth from this time and place that we intend to defeat everything the BNP stands for."

Last month the Standards Board for England - which polices the behaviour of local politicians - refused to investigate allegations Mr Meredith was publicly disrespectful to BNP councillors by refusing to work with them.

The BNP argued the mayor's stance breached the code of conduct for councillors, which says local politicians must treat others with respect - including people with opposing views or from other parties. The board accepted Mr Meredith's actions could have breached the code of conduct, but it concluded the allegations were not serious enough to justify an investigation.

The Sentinel