Emmerdale stars say ‘keep the BNP out’ of Northern towns and cities

| Friday, 28 April 2006 Source: 24dash.com

Stars from ITV soap Emmerdale turned out to back UNISON's campaign against the BNP in the local elections next week.

The Emmerdale cast took time off from their busy filming schedule to appear at the launch organised by Yorkshire & Humberside regional office.

The union is actively campaigning against the BNP in the forthcoming elections, with the message that racial hatred destroys lives. It is urging people to vote on May 4 to ensure that the BNP does not win seats.

Ursula Holden Gill, who plays Alice Dingle, said she and her co-stars were happy to take part in the hard-hitting campaign.

"I'm from Blackburn where, alarmingly, the BNP have been taken quite seriously," she said. "That's why it was important today to come along and be counted."

John Middleton, who plays Rev Ashley Thomas, said: "It was an obvious decision for me. I've campaigned against the BNP for a number of years.

"I'm dismayed they are being so active in targeting people, playing on people's genuine grievances but giving lies about what those problems might be. I find it disgusting."

He added: "The BNP is the only political party I know motivated solely by hate. Racial hatred destroys lives, it destroys communities and it causes riots."

Holden Gill and Middleton were joined by other members of the cast including Graeme Hawley, the show's DC Crowe, Nick Miles, who plays Jimmy King, and Charlie Hardwick, who plays Val Lambert.

Welcoming the Emmerdale support, UNISON regional secretary Cliff Williams said: "This is a clear signal from UNISON and our celebrities that there is no place for either racism or the BNP in British politics.

"Our campaign does not tell people who they should be voting for, but rather who not to vote for. The British electorate will vote for parties which support equality and fairness. They know, as we do, that there is no place for racism in our society for those who advocate racist policies."