Parties react to Bridgwater BNP announcement

The far-right British National Party is fielding its first ever candidate for the Bridgwater constituency at the forthcoming General Election.

Donna Treanor, from Scotland, said she would be campaigning on issues such as crime and the surveillance state. But after praising Bridgwater's 'rich and distinctive history' on her party's website, Dundee-born Ms Treanor, a former counsellor and auxiliary nurse, admitted she had never been to the town in an interview with the Mercury.

The 48-year-old also revealed she did not know Admiral Blake was synonymous with Bridgwater and was 'not aware' of the Sedgemoor Splash. She said: “I know about Bridgwater's churches and am interested in the Guy Fawkes celebration in November, but I have never been to the town. I will be campaigning on national and local issues, like crime and anti-social behaviour because I think it is everywhere and I don't think the police do enough.”

The BNP's decision [not] to field a local candidate received a mixed response from the other parties. Labour candidate Kathy Pearce said she was 'disappointed' but called it an 'opportunity to challenge the BNP'. LibDem candidate Theo Butt Philip labelled the BNP 'appalling' but Conservative MP Ian Liddell-Grainger said their decision to stand was 'democratic'.

“If they want to put someone forward, whatever my personal belief, they can,” he said.

The BNP also announced its first ever candidate for the Burnham seat, Richard Boyce.

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