We need BNP like a hole in the head

Daniel Knowles | Tuesday, 11 April 2006 Source: This is Wiltshire

A LABOUR Government minister has urged residents to vote for anyone but the British National Party in May's council election.

Local Government Minister Phil Woolas addressed a meeting of concerned residents at the Punjabi Community Centre in Gorse Hill yesterday.

The meeting followed in the wake of the BNP putting forward candidate Reg Bates in the fight for the Gorse Hill and Pinehurst ward.

Mr Woolas said he told residents not to believe the rumours that the BNP would unleash in the lead up to the poll on May 4.

The Swindon community needed to unite to see off the hatred the BNP peddles, he said.

"You want the BNP in Swindon like you want a hole in the head," he said.

Mr Woolas said the BNP caused division, even to the extent of strife that could harm business and drive property prices down.

"It's a message of hatred," he said.

Mr Woolas said a classic tactic of the BNP was to spread rumours that different ethnic groups were getting preferential council and Government treatment.

"Don't believe the rumours," he said. "Vote for any political party ahead of the BNP."

He said that the BNP was not a likely threat to take over the town, but it had to be stamped out before it took hold.

He said it was the responsibility of the other political parties to make sure they were listening to voters.

When residents felt ignored, they turned to fringe groups like the BNP, he said.

Mr Woolas led the push to defeat the BNP in his Oldham electorate, following race riots there.

However, Mr Bates has hit back, labelling Mr Woolas undemocratic and accusing him of interfering in local politics. He said the BNP was anti-immigration but not racist.

Mr Bates, 53, a part-time cleaner from Old Town, said he has been a member of the party for about a year.

"We fight racism," he said. "I feel we fight anti-white racism.

"With the influx of foreigners we've had in this country we get pushed to second place."

Mr Bates said his main campaign was against further development in Swindon.

"Central Government is imposing unrealistic demands on Swindon," he said. "The levels of infrastructure are struggling to cope with the development we have in this town."

He is confident he can win the ward.

"We are supposed to live in a democracy," he said. "That is not democratic for a Government minister to tell or suggest who they should vote for."

Mr Bates said accusing the BNP of hatred was highly inflammatory.

Political parties have united to urge a boycott of the BNP at Swindon's Council elections.

Conservative group leader-designate Roderick Bluh echoed Mr Woolas' call.

"I would agree with him," he said. "I think the BNP are not a force for good in the community.

"We don't want any racial hatred in our community."

Liberal Democrat deputy group leader Stan Pajak said BNP policies amount to racism.

"I'm hopeful the people of Swindon show them the door very quickly," he said.

"The BNP is one of those parties that seems to thrive on blaming other people.

"It's a sad reflection that they are standing."

The Transport and General Workers Union has launched a campaign to derail the BNP push in Swindon.

Launching the Swindon Against Fascism campaign, union south west organiser Hugh Kirkbride said the BNP had clearly targeted the town and is committed to stirring up race hatred, fascism and violence.

"The only effective way of preventing this is for all democrats in the town to unite in their opposition to the BNP," he said.