Cameron hits out at BNP’s ‘racist thugs’

| Wednesday, 1 October 2008 Source: The Sentinel

DAVID Cameron has launched a stunning attack on the British National Party in Stoke-on-Trent.

Speaking from his party’s conference in Birmingham the Conservative leader branded the BNP “racist thugs” and said the Tories intended to win votes from the far-right party.

He said Conservatives needed to work hard in Stoke-on-Trent to reach out to voters who had turned away from the three main British political parties.

He said: “I see the BNP as a threat to our country. They are an appalling bunch of racist thugs.

“It is incumbent on all parties – Conservative, Labour and Liberals – to make sure that we campaign so hard and represent people so well, that we work our streets, housing estates and council terraces so well, that we don’t leave any room for people to feel disaffected and turn to the BNP.

“In Stoke we will do everything to stand up for local people to help them and represent them so we can make sure that these racist thugs have absolutely no part to play in our politics.”

Alby Walker, leader of the British National Party in Stoke-on-Trent, said: “David Cameron is saying these things because we are a threat to his councillors.

“The BNP are not racists we just have sensible policies on immigration. To me, a racist is someone who thinks they are better than other races and that is not what we are about.

“Current immigration policies are destroying the British culture and the British way of life and our ideas are better.”

He added: “This just illustrates Mr Cameron’s and Labour’s real problem, both parties have become lazy at grass roots and neglected street level politics.

“The BNP is good at the pavement politics.”

Joy Garner, leader of the Labour group on Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “I cannot argue with Mr Cameron’s comments about the three main parties standing together.

“We are already doing that in this council and working to take this city forward and to stop the rise of the BNP.”

Today Mr Cameron, pictured, made a key-note speech to thousands of delegates at the Conservative Party Conference.

The leader of the opposition claimed that proposals announced by his party this week would benefit hard up residents in Stoke-on-Trent.

In particular he highlighted a plan which would see council tax frozen for two years.

Under the plan those authorities that could keep their council tax rise under 2.5 per cent would receive extra help from central government to reduce people’s bills by 2.5 per cent.

“At a time when businesses are tightening their belts and families are tightening their belts, Governments should do the same,” said Mr Cameron.

“In the West Midlands, as elsewhere in the country, council tax has doubled in the last decade so I think it’s a good place to help with a two year freeze.”

Polls released last week looking at over 200 marginal seats across the country showed the Conservative Party winning the currently Labour Stafford, Staffordshire Moorlands and Burton parliamentary seats.

But Mr Cameron added: “We don’t take anything for granted. We have a huge amount of work to do.”