Elections shock as BNP targets Wharfe seats

| Friday, 14 May 2004 Source: Wharfedale and Airedale Observer

THE BRITISH National Party has shaken the political landscape by entering election candidates for all of the Wharfedale, Aireborough and Horsforth wards.

In a move which is causing shock waves across the political spectrum, the far right party is casting its web beyond its traditional inner city territory to target more affluent and rural parts of Leeds.

Recently given a public show of support by Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of France's National Front (FN) party, the BNP is notorious for its extreme views on race and immigration.

Although the party had been warning it was planning to extend its 'target wards' for the June 10 local and European elections, no-one expected leafy areas like Otley, Bramhope, Horsforth or Guiseley to be included.

So yesterday afternoon's publication of the final candidate list wrong-footed everybody, including town councillor and Labour ward candidate for Otley and Yeadon, John Eveleigh.

He said: "The BNP are an evil party and it is the duty of every mainstream political party to stand firmly against these people.

"I think they are a scourge on our democracy and certainly have no place in a civilised society.

"They are allegedly closely linked to the fascist movement in Europe, and it was 60 years ago this year that people laid their lives down to stop fascism.

"There have been no leaflet drops or anything out our way to suggest they would be standing here.

"But I would urge everybody to go out and vote for any other mainstream party rather than this bunch.

"They have had little success anywhere except Burnley, where all they have done is whip up a degree of racial hatred and hostility.

"I'd like to think the community of Otley and Yeadon is far more broad-minded and tolerant than that."

Those views were echoed by former Otley Town Mayor and Conservative ward candidate for Otley and Yeadon, Nigel Francis.

He said: "I wouldn't like to see any extreme, radical party making progress whether it's from the right or the left, it's a very dangerous game."

Graham Kirkland, who is standing as a Liberal Democrat for Otley and Yeadon, said he was stunned the BNP had put up a candidate. "They won't get any support from me and I doubt from anyone else either," he said.

"Of course it is perfectly legal for them to stand, but I feel the country would be better off without them. We fought a couple of world wars against people like this and I believe they should go somewhere else to throw their toys out of the pram.

"I'm surprised they are standing, but I bet they'll struggle to get a single figure vote."

The Liberal Democrat's Prospective Parliamentary candidate, Greg Mulholland, went further and dismissed the BNP as irrelevant.

He said: "I'm very disappointed and surprised that the BNP is standing in these wards but as far as I'm concerned they are simply an unwelcome irrelevance and I have every confidence the elections will be fought on local issues that matter to the area.

"I'm sure the people of Wharfedale and Aireborough will send a very clear message to the BNP that they are not welcome here."

Bramhope Parish Councillor Clive Fox, however, who is standing as a Conservative in the Adel and Wharfedale ward, said he was not surprised by the move and took a more restrained stance.

"We shall see off the BNP as all the other parties," he said. "We are in a democracy and people have a right to stand. I don't think they will score an enormous number of votes."

Meanwhile church groups were quick to make their views clear yesterday, too.

Richard Downes, a Methodist steward from Pool in Wharfedale, said he fully supported a statement given by the church's West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council condemning the BNP.

He said: "It urges voters to rise above apathy and vote for parties that stand for an inclusive attitude to all faiths and cultures, not one like the BNP who only seek to divide."