Richard Barnbrook: A Political Obituary

It's often said that the “Characters” - the “One-Offs” - are disappearing from British politics to make way for the bland and the corporate. In fact, only last weekend, the Labour Party have bravely attempted to redress the balance by rejecting the leadership bid of presentable, clone-like “Mr Spock” Miliband in favour of the altogether more visually exciting “Aardman Animation” Miliband.

Over on a rather smaller stage, meanwhile, we have lost a true, erm... “Character”. Richard Barnbrook – the BNP's Man At The London Assembly, has (ironically for one so obsessed with knife crime) finally been stabbed in the back by Nick Griffin.

His political “career” (and I use the term advisedly: Not so much as a series of interlinked terms of employment but rather as something that's out of control and hurtling downhill), has done so much to brighten the humdrum days of Anti-Fascists that it'll be hard not to miss the fool, come May 2012.

The ex-teacher first aroused (if that's the right word) attention when his 1989 student film “HMS Discovery: A Love Story” came to light and was described by some who saw it as “gay porn”. While the mere fact that it contained scenes of male nudity and flagellation shouldn't be used to automatically condemn it as “porn” (after all, “The Passion Of The Christ” has that. AND Judas gets to plant a big kiss on Jesus...), the snippet I've seen is such a towering anti-masterpiece of shonky camerawork, staplegun editing and incoherent narrative that it would be fairer to take issue with its being called “a film”.

His directorial career in tatters, the famously Dyslexic Barnbrook entered the world of politics; first as a Labour Party activist before realising his mistake and joining the BNP. His Dyslexia must be REALLY bad.

Meanwhile, he was employed designing decorative planting schemes to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Only one such bed was completed, however, before his BNP activities were discovered and he was invited to move on. ( There Presumably being some kind of protocol issue in HRH being associated with more than one rancid old xenophobe at a time.)

So politics beckoned. Adopting his now-trademark beige suit – a particularly unwise choice - it just makes him look like he's come dressed as a sepia print – Barnbrook worked tirelessly as a BNP organiser, standing as the doomed Parliamentary Candidate for Barking in the 2005 elections and the doomed Mayoral Candidate in 2008, before finally making it to the GLA (thanks to the List System) in the same elections.

Next to his career in the Assembly, Barnbrook's early attempt at filmmaking looks like the lost works of Orson Welles. If Boris Johnson could, in terms of his eloquence and quiet dignity, make Ozzy Osbourne look urbane, then Richard Barnbrook could make Shane MacGowan resemble a veritable Cary Grant with the intellect of a Stephen Fry and the oratorical skills of Plato. It's even rumoured that, come 2012, should the Tories hold the office, Boris will keep him on the Mayor's payroll – paying him a handsome stipend just to stand next to him and make him look normal.

The tics. The eccentric turn of phrase. The funny voices. The occasional treat of his St Georges' Day parade – Dickie could never be accused of being a political giant. But, my God – if he speaks in the Assembly you sit up and watch him. Maybe not for the reason he'd want you to, but you certainly watch him...

And his personal life has become as entertaining as his political conduct: Rumoured to be something of a Player on the Party's social circuit (although one possibly doesn't have to try too hard among the available company: given the conduct of most BNP males, I suspect that if you can manage to eat with your mouth shut and close the toilet door you'd be regarded as something between Roger Moore and Nigel Havers), he has been linked to a number of like-minded partners; the highest profile being Simone Clarke, the “BNP Ballerina” (formerly of the Royal Ballet: Currently based in a Leeds village hall. Another fine example of the BNP's effect on career advancement).

On the subject of Dance: Whatever happens in his political career, Dickie will always retain a place in the public affection for his own, unique contribution to the Terpsichorean Arts (see the video below). Of course, the same display also points to his lack of political savvy – if only he'd thought it through and said it was a performance-based artwork exploring concepts of political alienation interpreted through the medium of free-form slamdancing, he probably could've picked up a tasty GLA grant for it.

Given the Candide-like shambles of his life, it's hardly surprising to note that Barnbrook has long been beset with rumours of a drink problem. Not that such a thing is unusual in politics: My own father was, long ago, on the regular campaign team for our one-time local MP, George Brown. Who was pissed from around 1945 to the mid-eighties. Didn't stop him making Foreign Secretary, though (although check out the infamous “Archbishop of Lima” story...). Indeed, Disraeli was reputed to enjoy the odd glass (or ten) and Churchill managed to win a War while completely hammered. These people didn't, however, seem to let it interfere with their work: Given Dickie's “eccentricities”, it's almost impossible to tell.

To paraphrase St John: “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his political life for his Leader.” For all his weird behaviour, the least accountable has been Barnbrook's willingness to sacrifice his credibility and career (such as they are) to come to the aid of his beloved Nick Griffin.

A shoe-in to fight Barking and Dagenham in May's General Election, he caved in to his Leader's demand that Griffin get a free run at the seat when it began to look a safer bet than Thurrock, the constituency he was already pledged to fight. The result, of course, was total annihilation: Nick's golden touch, easy charm and legendary popularity with his electorate ensured that, not only did he drop the vote by 2% but he wiped out every BNP Councillor there while he was at it.

Then came the “Leadership Election”. For whatever reason (but, of course, we suspect because his Master told him to), Barnbrook stood as a stalking horse candidate. If the B & D election was merely embarrassing, the Leadership Contest must have been the political equivalent of being forced to dance naked in a muddy puddle while tramps throw fruit at you. A staggering 23 people chose to back him. Out of more than 2000. He probably felt like a drink after that one.

And then, finally learning the lesson that doing favours for Nick Griffin is about as solid a guarantee of engendering goodwill as buying a box of chocolates for a puff-adder, Barnbrook resigned the Party Whip in the GLA.

Predictably, there was fury at Welshpool. Even more predictably, Clive Jefferson was dispatched to deliver the final blow and expel him from the Party.

It's unclear at the moment whether Barnbrook will vacate his Assembly seat in favour of the next person on the List. Personally, and just to annoy the hell out of his (former) Leader, I hope he stays put.

Or at least takes his dance show on national tour.

Croydon BNP election candidate investigated over immigrants rant

The political career of Croydon Central's BNP candidate is in jeopardy as he is being investigated by his own party after ranting about "violent immigrants" in New Addington.

Clifford Le May [pictured centre, left] is in trouble for his response to a Tory questionnaire encouraging residents to raise any concerns with London mayor Boris Johnson. His reply was to write: "Stop ruining our community by stuffing New Addington with violent immigrants who have no right to live among decent civilised white people."

In the questionnaire he also refers to his Tory rival for the Croydon Central seat, Gavin Barwell, as a "traitor to his race and nation". Despite admitting the words were written in "anger", Mr Le May has refused to retract anything and is now hoping he will not be deselected as a result.

"I'm not a racist – I'm a British patriot," he insisted. "I hope what I wrote won't affect my candidacy."

Mr Le May, a 50-year-old postal worker and dad-of-three, explained the basis for his strong views. He claims his 15-year-old daughter, Eve, was "pepper sprayed and attacked" by a West Indian immigrant in 2007 and that his mum Marie was punched in the face by two black men at Bayswater station 20 years ago. He also says his gran was mugged by a gang of young black men who left her with a broken hip. She died during surgery to have it replaced.

Speaking at his home in Redstart Close, he claimed: "There's a problem in this country with aggression coming from young black men. I can recount hundreds of incidents – 99 per cent of all violent crime will be at the hands of black youths. Everywhere I go I see violent young black men and women. I read the New Scientist and they say there's evidence that people in gangs are predisposed to violence. They didn't bring race into the equation, but you can read between the lines."

Referring back to his comments on the survey, he denied trying to be inflammatory.

"I was so annoyed and angry to get this survey from a failed party who are not interested in what I've got to say," he said. "The Tories and Labour have ruined our economy and our prospects. My two eldest daughters Natalie (a 20-year-old nightclub waitress) and Jodie (an 18-year-old shop assistant] are working part-time jobs because of this terrible situation. I stand by what I wrote. But when I address the electorate when a general election date's set I'll probably use different words."

Mr Barwell, says he was appalled when he read the questionnaire response.

"Mr Le May's comments show the BNP remains a party that judges people not by their actions but by the colour of their skin," he said. "Hundreds of thousands of British servicemen gave their lives to defeat these views in the Second World War – there's nothing patriotic about them. People who are thinking of voting BNP should be aware what kind of people they really are."

Simon Darby, a BNP press spokesman, says the result of the inquiry will be reported in due course to Mr Le May. He added: "While I agree with the sentiments, he could have put it a bit more politely – he should have couched his language more. But what he says is not too far from what's actually happening."

Croydon Today

BNP boss pulls out of Palace trip

The leader of the British National Party has said he will not attend a Buckingham Palace garden party following uproar over his invitation.

Nick Griffin said he had "no wish to embarrass the Queen" at the event.

He had been invited to attend by Richard Barnbrook, a BNP member of the London Assembly, as his guest. Mr Barnbrook had been warned that his nomination to attend the event would be reviewed if he did not change his choice of companion. Like all the other members of the London Assembly, Mr Barnbrook is in line for two tickets to the party on 21 July.

Speaking outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Mr Griffin said his party could have earned a "great deal of publicity" by attending but did not want to embarrass the monarch. He said the reaction to his prospective presence at the party had been "hysterical". He added: "We believe it is still outrageous that a democratically-elected member of the London Assembly can't invite who he likes as a guest to the party at the Palace. Nevertheless, because we have no wish to embarrass the Queen and allow the liberal left to do more damage to our institutions, I've withdrawn from the idea of going myself."

Mr Barnbrook said he would still attend the party, but would take with him the mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan.

London Mayor Boris Johnson, who had previously called for Mr Griffin to withdraw, welcomed the decision. He said: "I am glad that the BNP leader has recognised that his presence at Buckingham Palace would have been a political stunt, which could have embarrassed Her Majesty."

A spokesman for the anti-fascist group Searchlight said it was pleased that "the gates of Buckingham Palace have been closed" to Mr Griffin.

GLA deputy chief executive Jeff Jacobs had written to Mr Barnbrook warning him to change his controversial guest or face having his nomination for the event "reviewed". He also asked Mr Barnbrook to stop exploiting the situation for "publicity".

The BNP is accused by its opponents of stirring up racial hatred. The party says it is standing up for Britain's "indigenous population". It campaigns for the "voluntary resettlement" of non-white British citizens to their country of ethnic origin and preferential treatment in the jobs market for British workers.

BBC

Pressure grows to withdraw BNP leader's Palace invite

Richard Barnbrook accused of exploiting situation for publicity and told to change invitation - or be barred from royal event

British National Party leader Nick Griffin has been effectively barred from attending a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

The right-wing politician had been invited to the social event by his BNP colleague Richard Barnbrook who, as a London Assembly member, was nominated for two tickets by the Greater London Authority. But Jeff Jacobs, the GLA's deputy chief executive, has tonight written to Barnbrook telling him to change his controversial guest and stop exploiting the situation for "publicity", or his nomination would be "reviewed".

In recent days London Mayor Boris Johnson and Darren Johnson, chairman of the London Assembly, have both spoken of their concern about Barnbrook's chosen guest. In his letter Jacobs said: "While elected representatives may and do attend, the event is a social occasion hosted by Her Majesty and it is inappropriate to exploit this privilege for party political purposes."

He added: "However, in the light of the views expressed by the Mayor and chair of the assembly, reinforced at yesterday's assembly meeting, I am writing to say that the authority may need to review its position in relation to your nomination unless you revisit the selection of your guest with a view to avoiding further controversy and desist from any further publicity."

The London Paper

BNP official under investigation for comments about archbishop of York

City Hall chief executive believes that BNP deputy leader Simon Darby, who works part-time at the GLA, has a 'prima facie' case to answer for remarks about John Sentamu and fellow Ugandans

A City Hall investigation is under way after a senior BNP official on the devolved London government's payroll described the archbishop of York, John Sentamu, as an "ambitious African" and said his fellow Ugandans threw spears at their enemies.

The Guardian understands that City Hall's chief executive, Leo Boland, decided to act following concerns raised by Boris Johnson, the Conservative mayor of London.

Sentamu, who fled Idi Amin's dictatorship in 1974, had criticised comments made by the BNP chairman, Nick Griffin, who said that black and Asian Britons "do not exist". But in a series of interviews and online comments, the party's deputy leader, Simon Darby, who has a part-time job at the Greater London authority, attacked the archbishop saying he should "not interfere in the political process".

"He's not in any position to tell me or anyone else who is, or isn't, English. If I went to a Uganda village and told them that they were all genetic mongrels and that anyone could be Ugandan I'd still be picking spears out of myself now."

On his blog Darby, who also tops the BNP candidate list in the Midlands in the forthcoming European elections, added: "Our old friend John Sentamu, or to give him his full name John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu, has been up to his old tricks once again. As if the responsibilities of being the archbishop of York were not enough the ambitious African has apparently used his power and influence to kindly bestow upon the world the right to be English."

A source close to City Hall told the Guardian that Boland believes that there is a "prima facie" case for Darby to answer. Though Darby, who works for the London assembly's lone BNP member, Richard Barnbrook, is not in a politically restricted post, he is subject to a code of conduct governing all staff.

Earlier this week, Jon Cruddas, Labour MP for Dagenham, condemned Darby's comments and said he should face disciplinary action for breaching his employment contract to "promote equality of opportunity".

Darby has insisted his comments were not racist. "I don't see how that is offensive or racist. It can be twisted or distorted to look that way, but what I am saying is factual. There are lots of indigenous people there [in Uganda] and in the bush they have spears – that is their lifestyle. I am not implying that all Ugandan people use spears at all. I was speaking specifically about the indigenous people. The spear is an integral part of their culture and lifestyle."

Polling experts believe that the far-right party has a chance of picking up its first seats in the European parliament in the June although leaked documents obtained by the anti-fascist organisation Searchlight show it has already scaled back its ambitions to focus on two regions, the north-west and the west Midlands.

"They had hoped to hide their campaign of hate behind a mask of respectability, but now that has been torn away," said a Searchlight spokesman. "Even someone as internationally respected as Dr Sentamu is not immune from their poisonous slurs."

Guardian

Barking madness

Political controversy based on race – and fake facts – is still being stirred up by the BNP in east London

According to some, race-based politics will soon be over. The battle has been won and we can all go home.

Boris Johnson was one of the first to see it coming. Writing back in October, the London mayor declared: "If Barack Hussein Obama is successful next month, then we could even see the beginning of the end of race-based politics, with all the grievance culture and special interest groups and political correctness that come with it."

As an unhappy target and an unwilling associate of such race-based politics, you can understand why he would hope this to be so. Unfortunately, nobody has got round to telling the British National party about it.

Speaking about the prospect of Obama's election, its leader, Nick Griffin, said: "The core impact on the millions of third worlders is that if you have a third worlder there... they will see the most powerful job in the world has gone to a black man that means that there is nothing that a black man can't do which is unfortunate because the black men and women who aren't very clever and I am not saying that's all of them, but some of them aren't very clever...

"The moment they can't get promoted because they're not actually very clever, they will think 'well I'm being held back, I'm being discriminated against' and they have already got a chip on their shoulder because of all the stuff about slavery... and so they see one of theirs who can make it to the top of America but think 'well I can't make it to the top of this branch of Jewsons and I am being discriminated against' and instead of one chip they get a second chip so there will be trouble.

"And some of them, when they have got a chip on their shoulder, well they can't take it out, they don't want to work anyway, so they find a white kid on the street and they beat the hell out of them... and the result of Barack Obama being at the top is that it will strengthen that, it will make them feel more confident, more pushy, more resentful if they don't get their own way. So it will just add a bit of a tweak to what is in fact a one-way, low-level race war."

In order to give it a tweak of its own, the BNP have been busy distributing a leaflet called Racism cuts both ways to schools, businesses and homes across the country.

Daubed with blood-red splashes and dodgy case studies, it is everything you would expect a BNP leaflet to be.

However, since then they have suffered the public humiliation of their membership list being leaked and the public realisation that their numbers, if not their support, are remarkably small.

But despite this setback, the BNP are determined to let their low-level war carry on. In order to take a look at it in operation, I took a journey to the east London borough of Barking and Dagenham. The borough, which is the BNP's stronghold in southern England, now has 12 BNP councillors.

Inside the chamber last week, there was little sign of an end to race-based politics. Barking's BNP group leader began by calling for the immediate resignation of the council leader for allowing immigration into the borough, before shouting "Nazi" at him across the chamber. Another BNP councillor refused to apologise for having likened sex education to paedophilia, before launching into a lengthy rant about immigrants, which got him removed from the chamber.

Other vital matters raised by Barking BNP have included the supply of Halal meat to schools (they think it shouldn't be) and the plight of the "native minority" in the "Labour borough of Ealing" (it's a Conservative borough and there's no "native" minority).

Outside of the chamber and the BNP's Richard Barnbrook has also been fighting hard, spreading mistruths about knife crime in Dagenham and making time-wasting "complaints" about non-existent bullying in City Hall.

But beyond these passing rows, the long-term effect of the BNP's low-level war in London has been the kind of small but often paralysing disruption that I saw in Barking last week. And as long as London politicians continue to be distracted into squabbling about Halal meat and Barnbrook's dyslexia, the real meat of their work is being put to one side.

So while it is convenient for some to herald Obama's victory as a sign of the beginning of the end of race-based politics, in areas where BNP support is rising, a debilitating battle continues every day.

Adam Bienkov
Comment is Free

Johnson sacks political adviser caught in row on African-Caribbean migration

Boris Johnson was plunged into his first big race row as London mayor last night when he was forced to sack his chief political adviser for having suggested that older African-Caribbean people should move to the Caribbean if they are unhappy living in a Tory-controlled London.

James McGrath was recorded on tape saying: "Well, let them go if they don't like it here."

Johnson announced late last night that McGrath, a 34-year-old Australian-born Tory high flyer, would leave City Hall with immediate effect after a tape recording emerged of his remarks to Marc Wadsworth, a journalist.

"It is with great regret this evening that I have accepted the resignation of my political adviser, James McGrath," the mayor said. "Unfortunately, his remarks in a conversation with an internet journalist, published this weekend, made it impossible for him to continue in that role."

The mayor continued: "London is blessed with a rich ethnic and cultural diversity. It is one of the main reasons why I regard it as the greatest city on earth, and I am determined, as mayor, to serve each and every community with equal passion and commitment."

Johnson consulted David Cameron, the Tory leader, on the issue. Johnson said last night that McGrath was not a racist, and he believed that he had run into trouble after a "silly and hostile suggestion" was put to him by Wadsworth.

This was a reference to a meeting last month at which Wadsworth asked McGrath his reaction to an article by the writer Darcus Howe on the eve of the mayoral election. Howe had written that the election of Johnson might trigger a mass exodus of older African-Caribbean migrants back to the West Indies.

Wadsworth wrote on his blog that McGrath responded: "Well, let them go if they don't like it here."

Johnson said: "James's remark was taken out of context and distorted, but he recognises the need for crystal clarity on a vital issue like this. We both agree that he could not stay on as my political adviser without providing ammunition for those who wish to deliberately misrepresent our clear and unambiguous opposition to any racist tendencies."

The sacking last night represented a rapid U-turn by Johnson's camp - which at first had maintained that McGrath had done nothing wrong when his remarks were set in the context of hostile questioning from Wadsworth.

The Guardian was warned earlier in the day that it might face legal action from McGrath if it reported McGrath's remarks in an inappropriate way.

This initial firm response was directed by McGrath who issued a furious response to Wadsworth when he reported his remarks on the citizen journalist website (the-latest.com) on Friday.

McGrath resisted standing down until late yesterday, did issue a statement to Wadsworth confirming that he had made the comments but he insisted they were made in response to "inflammatory comments" by Howe, a supporter of Ken Livingstone. Describing himself as "an immigrant myself," the Australian-born McGrath wrote: "I felt that this suggestion [by Howe] was ridiculous and intended as a slur and responded by saying with words to the effect of 'let people go if they don't like it here'."

Wadsworth last night welcomed the resignation of McGrath. "James McGrath has done the right thing, though I had not called for him to resign. I just wanted a dialogue with him."

Guardian

Boris, Barnbrook and the Prosopography of bananas

Boris Johnson was accused of turning the Mayoralty into an 'empty vessel' today, after delegating most of his powers to unelected advisors and deputies.

At an ill-tempered and repetitive session of Question Time, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green members of the Assembly all questioned an increasingly frustrated Boris as he repeated his time-worn response that Londoners would care more about results than procedures

But as his questioners refused to be fobbed off, he lost all patience and accused them of being 'pompous' and obsessed with the 'prosopography' of his administration. And as if that language wasn't 'clear and unambiguous' enough, he went on to deny any comparison between himself and a 'potemkin figure' pitched to conceal the real source of power. No such comparison had been made.

However, with no translator or historian to hand, Assembly members were forced to ask their questions all over again.

And frustrated as he was with the assembly's apparent ignorance of medieval and Crimean military history and their relevance to London government, Boris switched instead to his ever-trusty stock of Latin proverbs, none of which seemed to do the trick.

Eric Wimp or Bananaman

But as both the assembly and the audience started to drift off, the BNP's Richard Barnbrook pulled out a banana and began to chomp away. But unlike Eric Wimp, this act of defiance did not appear to have any visible transformative effect.

In fact when a City Hall official politely asked him to put the fruit away, he rose not like Bananaman to battle, but sank Wimp-like into a pliant concession.

But when his turn finally came to ask his questions, London's favourite fascist didn't disappoint. Due to ask a question on 'black cab drivers' (he wants more white ones) Barnbrook instead decided to thank Boris for having 'taken race out of the Rise festival'.

The Chair Jeanette Arnold, who has become a figure of hatred on far right bulletin boards since Barnbrook's election, ruled the point out of order and the assembly moved on. But when Barnbrook got his second chance to speak, he completely lost his rag.

His question on crime rates and Afro-Caribbeans was initially more third rate than Third Reich as he attempted to frame it as being asked out of concern for his 'black constituents'.

But when Boris replied that 'Londoners will be thoroughly dismayed by this racist breakdown' Barnbrook suddenly turned red and began to shout and thump the table.

And as he continued to rage and ignore the ruling of the Chair, all pretence of him being a serious politician peeled away. And as the session slipped by, the audience were left with little more than the off-colour sight of the BNP's very own Mr. Bananaman.

Tory Troll

Mayor drops festival's anti-racism message

Boris Johnson, London's mayor, was criticised by equality campaigners last night after it emerged one of the capital's biggest free music festivals is to drop its anti-racist message.

Rise has been held in London since 1996 and has become the biggest anti-racist music festival in Europe. It was supported by the previous mayor, Ken Livingstone, as well as by trade unions and the National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR).

But yesterday a spokeswoman for Johnson said this year's event, on July 13, would no longer carry an anti-racist message: "Boris has made a commitment to go ahead with the Rise festival this year but wants to emphasise its cultural and community dimensions." During his election campaign Johnson was forced to apologise for describing Africans as having "watermelon smiles" and writing of "piccaninnies". He said his comments were taken out of context and he was committed to fighting racism.

But last night a spokesman for the NAAR called that claim into question. "The sincerity of Boris Johnson's claimed commitment to opposing racism in his election campaign is shown to be false by the fact that one of his first decisions is to abandon Europe's biggest anti-racist festival," he said.

Johnson's office said the mayor was "unequivocal that there is no place for racism or division in London", adding: "Major festivals and events are an important way of bringing Londoners from diverse backgrounds together, to celebrate what we share in common and enjoy the rich cultural contribution of different communities."

The Cuba Solidarity Campaign (CSC) has also been told that its annual Big Cuba Fiesta stage is barred from this year's event.

The Greater London authority's director of arts policy , Munira Mirza, told the group in a letter that "it is no longer appropriate to have overtly political organisations involved in the programme or in the community area".

Rob Miller, CSC's director, said: "It is outrageous that the new mayor of London has taken such a discriminatory position against Cuba Solidarity ... We hope that this silly act of political censorship will even yet be overturned."

Guardian

Give second vote to Johnson, BNP tells supporters

Boris Johnson: 'I have no desire whatsoever to receive
a single second-preference vote from a BNP supporter.'

The British National Party has called on its supporters to give their second-preference votes in the London mayoral election to the Conservative candidate, Boris Johnson.

In a statement posted on its website today, the far-right party advised people to award its own mayoral candidate, Richard Barnbrook, their first-choice vote, and "the Tory clown Johnson" their second because he was the lesser of two evils.

It read: "Our suggestion … is that you hold your nose and cast it in favour of the Conservative candidate, Boris Johnson. This is not because we think that Johnson would be any good as mayor — he is as politically correct as any of the other candidates and has no real ties to our London — but because he wouldn't be actively bad in the way that [Ken] Livingstone [the Labour candidate] is."

After attacking the Tory party for its behaviour over Europe and its support for "mass immigration", the statement went on: "In this race, the Tory clown Johnson is a lesser evil than the Marxist crank Livingstone, so replacing the latter with the former would, on balance, be an improvement for the majority of Londoners.

"So even if Johnson condemns the BNP (and as a Tory 'wet' he's bound to), a second-choice vote for him gives you the chance to vote BNP as your first preference and still vote to get Livingstone out of office."

Johnson made it clear that wanted no electoral help from the far-right.

"I utterly and unreservedly condemn the BNP and have no desire whatsoever to receive a single second-preference vote from a BNP supporter," he said. "I hope as many Londoners as possible turn out on May 1 to prevent the election of a BNP candidate."

The current mayor, Ken Livingstone, pointed out that the Green party candidate, Siân Berry, had called for her supporters to give their second-preference votes to him.

He added: "That the BNP have called for a second-preference vote to the Tory against me is no surprise. I hate and despise everything the BNP stand for as against every value of London as a great multi-ethnic tolerant and diverse city."

Brian Paddick, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said: "Clearly the BNP have recognised Boris's talent for causing offence and creating division. This should be a wake-up call for all decent people who could vote in the election to register their vote because the more votes there are for mainstream parties, the less chance there will be to give racists and extremists a seat."

Analysts believe the BNP could make a breakthrough in May's election unless there is a big voter turnout. Last time London went to the polls the far-right party got 4.8% - just short of the 5% needed to get a member on the London assembly.

At the time the UK Independence party, which has since largely imploded, polled 8.8% and it is feared many of its supporters may now transfer their allegiance to the BNP.

The electoral system means the party, which has since picked up several local councillors in London, needs 5% to get one assembly member, around 8% to get two and 11% to get three.

Yesterday Nick Lowles, from the anti-fascist organisation Searchlight, said London was in danger of sleepwalking towards a BNP breakthrough, adding it was crucial that voters turned out on May 1 to ensure the party was kept out of mainstream politics.

"Let there be no mistake about it there is a chance that they could get one, two or even three assembly members and that will change the nature of politics in London. It is vital that everyone who opposes the racism of the BNP turns out and makes their voice heard."

The BNP faced a serious setback this week when it was forced to ditch its second-choice candidate for the London assembly, Nick Eriksen, after the former Conservative councillor in Southwark, south London, was sacked for writing a blog which appeared to advocate the abuse of women.

In one posting he wrote: "I've never understood why so many men have allowed themselves to be brainwashed by the feminazi myth machine into believing that rape is such a serious crime... Rape is simply sex. Women enjoy sex, so rape cannot be such a terrible physical ordeal. To suggest that rape, when conducted without violence, is a serious crime is like suggesting force feeding a woman chocolate cake is a heinous offence."

Announcing its decision to remove him from their list yesterday, a statement on the BNP website, added: "It was felt that no matter how much Nick Eriksen's blog comments, written back in 2005, had been distorted and taken out of the context of a blog which reflected our tough stance on all sorts of crime, they could still be perceived as trivialising the issue in a manner that many women in particular could have found extremely offensive."

Guardian