Burnley's first BNP mayor, John Cave resigns from position

The man in line to become the first BNP mayor in the country has resigned from his position.

John Cave was serving as deputy mayor of Padiham Town Council this year, but has quit following a row with Labour councillors.

Mr Cave had been due to become the town’s mayor in May and community leaders had expressed fears that the appointment would bring negative publicity on the town. But that scenario will now be averted following Mr Cave’s shock resignation.

Mr Cave said three councillors, Jean Cunningham, Andy Tatchell and John Harbour, were playing politics with the non-political town council, something which they all deny.

The trio represent the Labour group on Burnley Borough Council, but sit as non-political councillors at Padiham Town Council.

Mr Cave wanted to bring in a new rule that could have forced the three of them out. But his motion to create a new standing order was voted out and Mr Cave decided to walk away from the council, and the chance to become mayor, because of what he described as the 'deception' being carried out by the council.

Coun Charlie Briggs, leader of Burnley Borough Council, said: “His reasons for resigning are utterly ridiculous. To suggest that someone with political affiliations can’t stand as a town councillor is just a plain daft. I can’t understand the cheek of it. Is he trying to suggest that he doesn’t have political affiliations? He has tried and failed to be elected as a borough councillor.”

Mr Cave brought his motion before councillors on November 21 but it was voted down 11-2. He wrote his letter of resignation after the vote and it was read to stunned councillors at the town council meeting on Monday.

Mr Cave, who is married to BNP councillor Sharon Wilkinson, said: “We say the council is non-political but we have people on the council who clearly are political.”

Burnley Citizen

Burnley BNP candidate's racist slurs on Facebook

A BURNLEY BNP candidate has been condemned for posting racist jibes on his Facebook site.

Christopher Vanns said the entries, uncovered by anti-fascist magazine Searchlight, were ‘just jokes’ in the style of the late Bernard Manning or Cockney comic Jim Davidson.

But critics have blasted the views of Mr Vanns, who is standing in May’s borough council elections for the BNP in the town’s Trinity ward, as ‘offensive’ and ‘unacceptable’.

Searchlight has also uncovered evidence of similar posts by his son, Christopher William Vanns, who is also seeking election in the Rosehill with Burnley Wood ward.

In the posts Mr Vanns senior makes jokes about Asians being drowned, jibes about mixed race babies and people from Pakistan in Emmerdale.

His son, who posts under the name ‘Tiff’ Vanns, also made remarks about black people and stealing and made other slurs against Asian people.

The pair, from the Dugdale Road area of Burnley, admitted posting the comments and jokes.

Mr Vanns said: “At the end of the day they are just jokes. I could make them about white English people. The problem is anyone can say anything they like about white English people though.

“They are just jokes though, they make people laugh. They are not real life, that’s the point, they are just humour.

“I was brought up with the likes of Bernard Manning and Jim Davidson and when you listened to them it didn’t make you go out and attack anyone or confront anyone.

“Everyone laughs at jokes, it doesn’t make them racist.”

His son said: “I just cut and paste jokes on there if I think they’re funny. I’ve posted lots of things and I don’t know anyone who has been offended by them. It’s just one of those things.”

Coun Sharon Wilkinson, BNP group leader in Burnley, yesterday distanced herself from the pair.

She said: “They're not councillors, so it’s absolutely nothing to do with me and I'm not eligible to comment.

"What they do in their private lives and in the privacy of their own homes is up to them. They are not representing the party because they haven't been elected.”

Simon Cressy, of Searchlight, said: “Not only is Chris Vanns a racist but also likes to mock the disabled.

“I doubt the people of Burnley would want someone like Vanns representing them on the local council.”

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle said: “I find these remarks totally offensive and totally unaccceptable. It is not the sort of thing we want in Burnley when we are trying to create prosperity for all members of our community.”

Coun Shah Hussain, a Labour councillor in Daneshouse ward, said: “I am not shocked because the BNP is a party that is divisive to our community and if it has people like this running for it, it can only do harm.

“I hope people in the Trinity and Rosehill with Burnley Wood wards will know the kind of characters they are and, through our democratic process, will make the right judgement.

“These people are right-wing extremists and we don't need them in Burnley.”

Coun Peter Doyle, Conservative Party group leader in Burnley, said: “Any form of racism is unacceptable."

Angela Vanns, wife of Christopher senior, is also standing for the BNP in Burnley’s Coal Clough ward.

Lancashire Telegraph

He's nothing to do with us: Daughters of first BNP mayor change names because they're so ashamed

Condemned: John Cave's views have been
called 'repugnant' by his daughters Donna and Rachel

The daughters of the man voted in to be Britain’s first BNP mayor are so ashamed of their father they are changing their name by deed poll.

Donna and Rachel Cave do not want to be associated with the man they say abandoned them when they were teenagers. Donna, a 27-year-old law graduate, said: ‘It’s a terrible thing to carry through life, the feeling of being dumped by your father, made worse now that he’s become a national hate figure. I try not to tell people my name in case they make the connection.’

John Cave, a local councillor, was elected deputy mayor of Padiham, near Burnley in Lancashire, earlier this month and will step up to the role of mayor next year. The position is largely symbolic but his election has been seen as a coup for the far-Right British National Party while being ¬condemned by community leaders.

Last night Donna and her sister Rachel, 25 – who also have two other sisters Victoria, 40, and Katie, 26 – said his character made him entirely unsuitable for the office. Donna claimed he walked out on the four of them and their mother Marlene 12 years ago when she was having chemotherapy for cancer.

She said: ‘It’s unbelievable that this man who abandoned my mother when she had cancer, as well as his four daughters, and who holds such repugnant political beliefs, could ever be considered fit to hold such a position of responsibility. He cut all ties with us, never called or even sent us a birthday card.

‘Our early attempts to keep in contact were either ignored or rebuffed. It’s as if we had never been part of his life. He has two grandchildren who he hasn’t seen.’

Rachel has a four-year-old daughter and Victoria and Katie are both married with two children.

Donna added: ‘I’m speaking out as I’ve had enough of being quiet about the appalling way he’s behaved. It’s amusing to hear someone say they want to make a difference to the community when he can’t even look after his own children.’

Rachel said: ‘It’s the principle of it. He’s representing the town and I think they should have someone with better morals and family values. We’re like a secret family. It’s not right.’

Mr Cave is now married to shopkeeper Sharon Wilkinson, a BNP Lancashire county councillor, who has three sons from a previous marriage. The girls claim he was having an affair with her while their mother was ill.

Donna said: ‘He insisted they were just friends but no one believed him. I think she was the cause of rows between Mum and Dad. He was at her shop frequently and did the cash-and-carry buys for her.

‘I noticed that usually at 10pm when she closed up, he would conveniently walk the dog. I wasn’t stupid. I knew what was going on.

‘And I had watched Mum get more depressed because people were whispering behind her back.’ In 1999, the girls returned from school one night to find their father gone. Rachel said: ‘He didn’t stick around to explain anything. Mum said he was gone for good and, in a way, I was relieved because we could all see that he was hurting her. After he left, she finished the treatment and was given the all-clear. She has been OK since then.’

Mr Cave, a landscape gardener, then joined the BNP. He and Ms Wilkinson rented neighbouring houses while still insisting they were just friends. The girls believe she was responsible for their father’s political conversion from working-class Tory voter to bigot.

Donna said: ‘Before this, Dad never talked about race as an issue. He had Asian friends and he’d take us to some of the Asian shops to see the different foods on sale. I don’t remember any racist talk at home.’

Rachel thinks Ms Wilkinson first embraced the BNP after her off-licence lost out to competition from an Asian shop that opened across the road in 1999.

She said: ‘They were bigger and cheaper. They were always busier than her. That’s when I think she changed. She was very upset.’

The last time all the girls saw their father was at their grandmother’s funeral four years ago. Donna said: ‘Dad spoke to Katie once in passing, but didn’t say a word to the rest of us. Lots of his BNP friends were there strutting around with their badges on, which upset me as Nanna was not racist.’

When their grandfather subsequently died only Donna and Katie attended the funeral. Now, with the change of their names, their estrangement is complete. Donna said: ‘He rejected us so we’re rejecting him.’

Last night Mr Cave told The Mail on Sunday: ‘What my daughters want to say is up to them. My divorce from their mother was not at all amicable and they seem to have taken her version of events. I did not abandon them or “disappear”. That would be impossible in Burnley. Really, I’ve absolutely no comment to make about what those people say.’

Mail Online

BNP member to be Padiham’s deputy mayor?

A Padiham town councillor’s bid to become Mayor is being hampered by political prejudice, he has claimed.

Coun. John Cave, who is a member of the British National Party, said party politics is the reason why some other town councillors have objected to him becoming Deputy Mayor of Padiham for the next civic year.

Although he has only served on the council for 12 months, Coun. Cave said under the rules of standing orders, he should be entitled to hold the post. But, according to Coun. Cave, some members of the council said the rules prevent him being nominated as Deputy Mayor because of the short time he has been a town councillor.

Coun. Cave, who is married to Coun. Sharon Wilkinson, leader of the BNP group in Burnley, said the objection, which he said was made by Coun. Andy Tatchell at a closed meeting of the town council, was actually voiced because of his links to the BNP and not due to the interpretation of the rules. To allay any confusion councillors and the town clerk Mrs Elizabeth Bolton are now waiting for clarification of the rules from Burnley Borough Council’s democracy officers.

“It strikes me as though he is keen to stop me being Mayor,” said Coun. Cave. “It is not supposed to be political, Padiham Town Council is apolitical. It’s because I’m BNP. I’m used to it to a certain extent, you expect it. But I’ve done my damnedest to keep politics out of it.”

Coun. Cave said he is more than equipped for the role after years of experience and would relish the chance to be Mayor of Padiham the following year, after Coun. Bob Clark.

Mrs Bolton added: “The matter is still under review and the democracy team at Burnley Borough Council is assisting the town council in its interpretation of the rules. As soon as we know that, the matter will be put before the full town council.”

A borough council spokesman said: “This is a matter for the town council.”

Coun. Tatchell and current Mayor of Padiham Coun. Jean Cunningham said it would be inappropriate to comment until clarification had been received from the borough council. Padiham Town Council’s next meeting is at Padiham Town Hall at 7 p.m. on Monday.

Burnley Express

BNP boss Nick Griffin to open office in Burnley

BNP leader Nick Griffin has set up a base in Burnley.

The highly-controversial politician officially opened his "Euro office" on Saturday in Yorke Street where he will spend time in his role as a Member of the European Parliament for the North-West.

Mr Griffin believes Burnley holds a "special place" in the party's history and it is thought he will hold surgeries at the address in the coming months.

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle said democracy meant Mr Griffin was entitled to set up stall in the town. "The office has been there for a number of years and it has done nothing in the past. I would suggest it won't be doing much in future either.

"Nick Griffin is one of our MEPs and a pretty insignificant one at the moment as he doesn't seem to be doing a lot. However, if he wants to come and sort the problems any Burnley people are having with the European Parliament then so be it. I hope he does hold surgeries there and helps deliver what the people of Burnley want," he said.

"The office is important as it will bring local people closer to their MEP," said Mr Griffin, who was dramatically refused entry to the Queen's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace yesterday where Mayor of Burnley Coun. Tony Lambert and his wife, Brenda, were guests.

"Burnley has a special place in the history of the British National Party as it was here we made our political breakthrough when winning three seats on Burnley Council in 2002."

Mr Griffin was elected to Brussels last year even though the BNP polled fewer votes in the region than it had in 2004 – winning a seat through the system of proportional representation used in the European elections. He promised then he would be opening an office in Burnley in the near future.

The BNP has used an office within the Yorke Street building since 2002 but recently moved to two new offices within the same complex.

Leader of the Burnley BNP party Coun. Sharon Wilkinson said: "When Nick first got elected as MEP he said he was going to set up an office in Burnley and he's kept his word. It will be funded with Nick's European funding. We will be getting some of the Euro staff here as well which means we will be able to help more local people with their problems."

Burnley Express

Revealed: The BNP's 'secret' Burnley base

Yorke Street, where the BNP have an office

The British National Party has been quietly running an office in Burnley town centre for up to nine years, the Lancashire Telegraph can reveal.

The low-key office, just metres from Burnley town hall, is not mentioned in the far-right party’s literature or on its website – and most residents and even seasoned local politicians were unaware it existed. But it is now set to become more widely used after the party shelved a search for a North West headquarters somewhere in East Lancashire, with party leader and recently-elected MEP Nick Griffin using it as his base in the area.

The BNP’s political opponents have slammed the party for not advertising the fact that it already had a permanent presence in the town, in Yorke Street, which it uses to print and distribute leaflets and co-ordinate local election strategy.

Local activists insisted the second-floor rented office, which is identifiable only by a small “British Heritage” sign on the door, was no secret. But Lib Dem council leader Gordon Birtwistle said only “very, very few” people were aware of it.

He added: “Outside their membership I would not have thought anyone knew. If they had been open about it, they would not have used a pseudonym and it would be on their leaflets. If they want to be taken seriously they should be open so people know if they want to visit them they can do.”

On the party’s website and leaflets, a PO Box address is given, and no posters are displayed in the windows, unlike other political parties.

Mr Griffin, who last week appeared on BBC One’s Question Time, watched by more than eight million people, insisted it was “widely known” the party had an office in Burnley. But former long-serving Burnley MP Peter Pike, now a well-known community volunteer and chairman of Burnley Labour Party, said: “I certainly was not aware of it. It comes as a complete surprise to me. I am certain it’s not widely known. They need to be more up-front. When I was MP everyone knew where my office was.”

Surrounding business owners, who did not want to be named, said the party had “not wanted to make a fuss” when it moved in, and some weren’t even sure which part of the building it used. A worker at the charity Mid Pennine Arts, in Yorke Street, said she had no idea the BNP were based opposite.

At the weekend shoppers in the town centre gave their reaction.

Zafar Dhami, 55, of Manchester Road, said: “I did not know they had an office here, and I am very surprised. It’s understandable they don’t advertise it, they are probably worried about being targeted.”

Elaine Heywood, 37, of East Road, said: “It makes you wonder what they have got to hide. They are supposed to be a major political party now, but they are not being open and transparent. You can’t have your cake and eat it.”

And Brent Barnes, 65, who lives in Higham, added: “I am surprised, I didn’t know they had an office in the town. Of course they should be up front. They shouldn’t be hiding behind anything.”

After Mr Griffin was elected to the European Parliament in June, East Lancashire BNP activists were told to search for a North West headquarters, with Padiham Town Hall and the former Derby Arms pub at Gannow Top in Burnley seen as possibilities. But last month Mr Griffin claimed their efforts were being frustrated by landlords pulling out at the last minute.

At no point during the search did the party refer to its existing Burnley headquarters.

On Friday, following his Question Time appearance, Mr Griffin told the Lancashire Telegraph the party had decided on Cumbria for its main HQ but would be “making more use” of its Burnley office, which the party had rented for “a couple of years”.

Burnley BNP leader Sharon Wilkinson said: “We did think about getting a different office, but we are getting a main one in Carlisle, so we are not going to get another one now. We are going to utilise what we have got.”

She added: “We have an office, we have had it since 2002. Most people know where we are. Most of the information is in the public domain. The reason we don’t have posters is because there’s nowhere to put them.

“We are waiting for extra equipment to go in there. Nick Griffin will use it when he comes up here. “ Asked why the sign outside said “British Heritage”, rather than the BNP’s name, she said: “Don’t ask me why. That plate has always been there.”

Burnley Citizen

Burnley BNP councillor tried to defraud insurance company

A serving Burnley councillor could face criminal charges after a civil court judge ruled he tried to defraud an insurance company.

Coun. Derek Dawson, the British National Party councillor for Gannow, made a claim against Zurich Insurance which would have initially been worth up to £30,000. The claim related to an accident in 2003 at Zurich customer Mr Stephen Hargreaves' house in Whalley, where it was alleged Coun. Dawson's severely fractured ankle was caused by a ladder being knocked onto his leg by a car driven by Mr Hargreaves.

As it was a civil trial no punishment was handed down by the court, but Zurich was granted permission to pursue Dawson and Hargreaves for Contempt of Court proceedings through the Attorney General. If successful, this will attract a criminal penalty.

But Burnley's BNP leader Coun. Sharon Wilkinson defended Coun. Dawson, calling him "an excellent councillor" and even questioned whether the judge was influenced by Dawson's "political persuasion".

During the case, which began last year before starting again this month, Deputy Circuit Judge John Morgan heard evidence at Burnley County Court, which proved the fracture was caused by Dawson falling off a ladder rather than Hargreaves' car knocking the ladder onto him.

Coun. Wilkinson said: "At the start of the case, the judge was made aware Derek was a BNP councillor. He then chose to believe the evidence of Zurich's expert engineer and not Derek's expert engineer as to how his injuries were caused. Whether the judge was influenced by Derek's political persuasion we can only speculate. Derek is an excellent councillor and I don't think this will affect his position."

But Burnley Council leader, Coun. Gordon Birtwistle called for Coun. Dawson's resignation saying: "Any councillor that attempts to commit fraud is not a fit and proper person to be a councillor."

Mr Stephen Langton, representing Hargreaves, appealed against the judge's decision, which was not granted. Mr Langton and Mr James Hurd, representing Dawson, also appealed against the imposition of court costs, but again the judge found in favour of Zurich. The costs, which are expected to run into tens of thousands of pounds, will be decided later.

Mr Simon McCann, representing Zurich, argued: "Dawson and Hargreaves colluded together to defraud Zurich. Fraudsters should not benefit."

Mr Scott Clayton, claims fraud and investigations manager for Zurich, said: "Fraud is something we take very seriously as this case shows. Unfortunately, some people will go to great lengths to secure financial gain. We challenge fraud because the costs in challenging these cases are spiralling at the expense of the honest customer."

Burnley Express

Anti-BNP protesters interrupt Lancashire County Council meeting

Protesters interrupted a council meeting this afternoon with chants against the far-right British National Party.

Stunned Lancashire County Councillors looked on as the group, who were sitting in the public gallery, shouted “BNP out! Fascists out!” before being ushered out of the chamber. Earlier, police had been on duty as about 60 protestors demonstrated ahead of the full council meeting.

It was the first since the June 4 election, which saw the BNP’s Sharon Wilkinson become the first county councillor in the party’s history. Coun Wilkinson told the Lancashire Telegraph she had brought her own “security” and was not worried about the protests, organised by Unite Against Fascism.

A handful of BNP supporters sat alongside the demonstrators in the upstairs gallery.

It was expected to be a routine meeting, the first under the new Tory administration, with councillors appointed to the key positions on the council. The chants began as members of Lancashire Police Authority were being appointed. The council’s new deputy chairman, Ribble Valley’s Chris Holtom, struggled to make himself heard above the din. Coun Wilkinson, who sat two rows back from the other members, sat motionless as the protestors were evicted.

New Tory council leader Geoff Driver vowed she would not be put forward to serve on any committees, and added: “Protests like that can only help the BNP because people sympathise with them.”

In the rest of the meeting the parties clashed over plans to reform councillors are paid, with Coun Driver accused by Labour and the Lib Dems of “running a coach and horses” through the recommendations of an independent remuneration panel on members’ allowances.

He said: “They are an independent body, but they got their maths wrong.”

A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: "Around 60 protesters have taken part in a demonstration outside County Hall in Preston ahead of Lancashire County Council’s first full meeting of the new cabinet. A relatively small policing operation was carried out, which was pre-planned in conjunction with the Council and the demonstrators themselves, Unite Against Fascism.

"The demonstration passed off peacefully without incident."

Lancashire Telegraph

Police clash with anti-BNP protestors

Anti-BNP protestors have been pushed back by police during a large-scale demonstration on the steps of Lancashire County Hall.

Up to 150 people have been picketing outside the Preston-based county council headquarters. Eyewitnesses said the group were trying to push back police who were guarding the entrance. They have been shouting: "Nazi scum off our streets". Many held banners which read 'BNP is a Nazi Party' and 'Smash the BNP'.

Geoff Driver was officially being named as the new leader of Lancashire County Council at the first full meeting of the new council and its cabinet, due to start at 1-30 p.m. Sharon Wilkinson, who represents Padiham and Burnley West for the BNP, was elected to the council at the elections earlier this month.

It comes after four people were arrested at a protest oustide a BNP 'victory' rally at a hotel in Blackpool on Saturday.

Burnley Express

BNP wins Lancashire council seat

The BNP today won its first county council seat in Lancashire in the party's stronghold of Burnley as Labour faced a routing in the town's local elections

In the first three results to be announced from the count, the far right party won one seat on Lancashire County Council and the Liberal Democrats two seats, from Labour. Previously all six seats were held by Labour since 2005, with three more results to come.

Burnley, scarred by race riots in 2001, already has four BNP members who sit on the local borough council.

The BNP's Sharon Wilkinson defeated Labour's Marcus Johnstone in the Padiham and Burnley West ward to gain her seat on the county council.

The BNP breakthrough in the Lancashire County Council elections will strengthen the party's hopes of getting their leader, Nick Griffin, elected as Euro MEP for the North West.

Griffin only needs around 8 per cent of the Euro votes across the region, to be elected to Strasbourg.

In Burnley, with 11 per cent of its 65,000 electorate from ethnic minorities, mainly Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, the turnout was around 35 per cent from the first three results, well down from the 2005 election turnout of 59.54 per cent.

Ms Wilkinson said: "It is absolutely wonderful for the party and gives me the opportunity to represent more people."

And there was more bad news for Labour, with the Liberal Democrats taking the remaining three seats from them - wiping Labour of the map.

Kitty Ussher, local Labour MP for Burnley speaking from the count, said: "It is disappointing. We have lost some really good county councillors who have worked very hard to serve their community. I think we were the victims of uncertain economic and political times nationally.

"Hazel Blears wore a brooch saying, 'Rocking the boat'. If you are in choppy waters you don't change the captain. I think with James (Purnell), I read what he said, I'm sad he did that. We have a very good and able Prime Minister to take us through this difficult time."

Gordon Birtwistle, the Liberal Democrat leader of Burnley Borough Council and prospective parliamentary candidate for the town, said: "We are over the moon, we have completely wiped Labour off the map. They had all six seats, today they lost the lot, of which we took five of the six. Obviously Labour nationally are in a catastrophic position."

Tony Martin, who had been a Labour county councillor in Burnley for 20 years until today's defeat, said: "It has been an absolutely awful day for Labour in Burnley. We expected the results to be bad but we hoped we could hold on to a couple of seats. I'm devastated I lost my own seat and ended up coming third.

"It is the same for Labour as it was with the Tories in 1997. They just had to reform themselves and are now doing very well with Cameron. We have been in power for 13 years and sometimes you get the backlash. We will be back."

Independent

Row over Burnley flyposting promoting BNP

A cash row has erupted over an ‘unpaid bill for fly-posting’ between Burnley’s ruling Liberal Democrats and the British National Party.

Council leader Coun Gordon Birtwistle, at a full council meeting, blasted the BNP for a series of stickers and posters which were plastered over bus shelters and walls around the May 2008 elections. He said that the BNP party, which has four representatives on Burnley council, has still not offered to pay for cleaning up the fly-posting. But BNP chiefs said there was no evidence the posters or promotional material was connected with official party sources.

Coun Birtwistle made his accusation shortly after the BNP made budget submissions at the full council meeting. He said: “I am surprised that the BNP have come into this chamber to present a budget, particularly anything to do with spending on Street Scene.”

Street Scene is the council’s initiative to tackle issues such as fly tipping, graffiti, dog fouling, littering and fly posting.

Coun Birtwistle said: “The BNP have not paid a bill of £600 for fly-posting at the last election. They have waited for council tax payers to pick up the bill. Which is why I am not interested in anything they have to say here tonight.”

But later Coun Sharon Wilkinson, BNP leader in Burnley, said: “There is no evidence of us fly-posting. They are trying to say that someone from the BNP put up these posters but they are just guessing. If they had any evidence by now then they would have prosecuted us. But I have said to (council chief executive and returning officer) Steve Rumbelow you do not have anything to prove it was us. Obviously someone has put these posters up but they were freely available on a website at the time.”

A Burnley council spokesman confirmed that a request had been made to the BNP for an £810 contribution to cleaning up the posters and stickers, following the election.

Burnley Citizen

Police eject BNP man from Burnley Town Hall

A Burnley Council meeting was disrupted when police entered the council chamber and ejected a former British National Party candidate from the public gallery.

Three officers arrived at Burnley Town Hall on Wednesday night to arrest Rosegrove with Lowerhouse candidate Mr John Rowe after he appeared in the public gallery despite a warrant earlier being issued for his arrest.

Mr Rowe, who has been defeated in the last two elections, has a long-standing dispute with the council, which has led to him being barred from council buildings. The warrant for his arrest was made when he failed to attend court over allegations he set off a fire alarm at an earlier Burnley Council meeting. Police had issued him with an £80 fixed penalty notice in relation to an offence of criminal damage.

Council leader Coun. Gordon Birtwistle slammed Mr Rowe's latest actions as "outrageous" and said he was "disrupting the democratic process of the council".

He said: "I understand there was a warrant out for his arrest and somebody must have tipped the police off that he was here. I know he has been defeated twice in elections, but there are many other defeated candidates who accept it and do not behave like this. He wants to stop the work of Burnley Council, but cannot be allowed to do this."

Leader of Burnley BNP Coun. Sharon Wilkinson described Mr Rowe as a strong-willed man and said she could not disown him. She said: "I feel John Rowe and members of Burnley Council should sit down and try to solve their dispute. He is not a councillor so I cannot really tell him what to do, and I cannot disown him as he has stood for us in the past. I think he is a brave man by standing for us, but there is a dividing line which is why he needs to resolve this dispute."

Arrangements have been made for Mr Rowe to return to Burnley Police Station.

Burnley Express

Row over poll due to end

A legal challenge to the controversial end of a Burnley Council election count was today due to be made in the High Court.

The British National Party will discover today if a full court hearing will be staged into the Rosegrove with Lowerhouse ballot in May. Lawyers representing four named voters will argue that their case against Paul Reynolds, who won the ballot by drawing lots, should be contested at trial.

After a recount, BNP candidate Peter Rowe and Labour's Mr Reynolds were found to have polled 489 votes each in the neck-and-neck Rosegrove ballot, On the first count, Mr Reynolds, of Florence Street, Burnley, polled two less votes than Mr Rowe, of Cowper Street. But the recount unearthed one Labour vote, thought to have been miscounted as a Conservative vote, and one ballot paper, at first believed to be void, which was reinstated in favour of Mr Reynolds.

With the election tied the two men drew lots from a ballot box and Mr Rowe lost.

Last May a petition signed by Michelle Pilling, Scott Atkinson, Susan McDevitt and Ian Smith was lodged with Manchester County Court, disputing the outcome. This legal challenge has now reached the High Court and is set to be heard by Mr Justice Teare in courtroom number 25 today. The high court judge will decided whether the case merits a full trial hearing at a later date.

Returning officer Steve Rumbelow, Burnley Council's chief executive, has previously insisted that the correct procedures were followed at the May count.

Coun Reynolds was unavailable for comment. But Coun Lilian Clark, who serves for Labour with Coun Reynolds in Rosegrove with Lowerhouse, accused the BNP of trying to court publicity through the challenge. She said: "I don't really see any other reason for them doing it because I don't see how they have anything to gain."

But Coun Sharon Wilkinson, who leads the BNP group on the council, said: "It's the electors themselves who are petitioning and they obviously feel that the result was inconclusive. I hope they will find that something can be done about that."

Whatever the outcome of the case it will not alter the overall balance of power in Burnley. Either way the ruling Lib Dem and Tory alliance will still hold enough combined seats to retain overall control. The Labour party currently has 17 councillors and the BNP just four, after losing two further seats in the May polls.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph