BNP? We'd rather lose battle

| Wednesday, 19 May 2004 Source: Weston and Somerset Mercury

Campaigning residents in Portishead - fighting to stop an asylum screening centre planned for the town - have said they would rather lose the battle than win with the support of the British National Party.

The BNP has been sending leaflets to residents in the town promoting itself and its policies, which include a pledge to close the doors to asylum seekers coming into the UK.

The national press officer for the BNP, Dr Phil Edwards, believes this action will help stop the centre from opening. Dr Edwards said: "The people of Portishead should not be upset because we are here to help them.

"To stop media coverage for the BNP, the Government and the Home Office will often cancel plans for asylum centres, so we are helping to stop it."

But residents, who are campaigning against the centre opening in a building on the Portishead Office Park on The Vale, are angry the BNP has got involved.

They say their reasons for wanting to stop the project is because of its location and not because of the asylum seekers.

Bryan Chichester, who is part of the campaign to stop the centre, said: "The typical asylum seeker is looking to have travelled anywhere up to 200 miles to get to Bristol.

"They then have to find their way to a little cul-de-sac in Portishead which leads to nowhere.

"That is what we object to.

"The campaign in Portishead does not want to be associated with the BNP.

"They are twisting it and distorting it for their own ends. We would sooner lose this fight with the Government than win it with the support of the BNP."

The planning application from the Home Office for an asylum seekers screening centre, which would conduct interviews and issue application registration cards, was rejected by North Somerset Council's north area committee last month.

A decision on whether or not the Home Office will appeal is expected within the next three weeks.