Labour leaders in Reading have warned supporters that not going to the polls in a month’s time could hand the BNP a seat in the European Parliament by default, giving them not only a platform but also access to funds for their racist campaigns.

Anneliese Dodds, Labour parliamentary spokesperson for Reading East, who is a supporter of the national Hope Not Hate campaign against the BNP, stated: “Reading should have no truck with a party that believes in racial superiority, that wants to bring in an apartheid system in Britain, and whose leader denies the Holocaust ever happened.

We urge our supporters in particular to stand up against the BNP and go to the polls on 4 June.”

The MP for Reading West, Martin Salter, added: “Because Euro-MPs are elected by proportional representation, they need less than 8% of the vote to win a seat, and the lower the turnout the better their chances.  

The BNP have rarely stood in elections in Reading, and when they have their racist message has been roundly rejected. 

But if too many people stay at home on 4 June we could end up with the shame of the BNP winning one of the eleven seats in the South-East and having the right to speak on our behalf.”

Reading Council Leader Jo Lovelock, who in 1994 saw off a BNP candidate in her own Norcot ward, said: “We have worked hard to build good community relations in Reading, but that could all be poisoned if we had an elected MEP from the BNP speaking for this area, however few local people had actually voted for him. 

I hope supporters of all mainstream parties, not just Labour, will unite to stop this happening.”