Concern grows over far-right election success

By Staff Reporter by Ealing Times | Thursday, 5 February 2004 Source: www.ealingtimes.co.uk

A campaign group set up to oppose the rise of extreme right politicians has warned the British National Party may be successful in London elections this year.

Londoners go to the polls to elect a mayor, London Assembly members and MEPs in June, and there are fears the British National Party may gain representation.

The Unite Against Fascism (UAF) lobby was launched yesterday, with a range of political, media, and union leaders joining calls to oppose the British National Party.

The UAF said it aimed to "unite the broadest spectrum of society" against the apparent rise of the BNP, especially in terms of the June local and European MP elections.

"Given the variety of electoral systems in place for different elections, on its current levels of support there is a real danger that the BNP could get a significant platform in elected institutions," the UAF said.

A spokesperson for the BNP rejected claims from the UAF that it was a fascist party. "Indeed the organisers of UAF are the real fascists in that they would deprive people of a free choice in elections and dictate to whom they can or cannot vote," the BNP said.

Forecasts have shown the voter turnout for elections in June could be well below the 24 per cent participation for the last election in 2000, and this may allow right-wing parties, such as the British National Party (BNP) to gain seats with relatively few votes.

Mayor Ken Livingstone joined Trevor Phillips, head of the Commission for Racial Equality, union leaders and MPs at the launch of the UAF group yesterday.

Mr Livingstone has also written to French Prime Minister to urge his government to reconsider moves to ban the hijab and other religious items in state schools.

A spokesperson for the mayor said there was concern about the wider European impact of the hijab ban.