The political row over race was lent a new twist today by the news that Conservatives in Kent have placed an advertisement in a local newspaper drawing attention to the issue of asylum-seekers.

The advertisement, in the Folkestone Herald, asks the question - 'What matters most to you?', with the word 'most' underlined.

And in bold type it goes on - 'Bogus Asylum Seekers?'

Nobody has been able to identify any word which is inflammatory or which would incite racial hatred

Michael Howard, Conservative MP

The answer to its own question reads: 'Conservatives reduced the number before. We will do so again.'

The Conservatives were quickly rounded upon for inflaming public fears over asylum.

One human rights campaigner claimed the words were likely to invite hatred, while the Liberal Democrats accused the party of expressing a "nasty sentiment."

The controversial CPE compact

But Michael Howard MP, whose constituency party placed the advertisement, defended the move.

The failure of the government, he said, to deal with the problem of illegal immigration through the euro tunnel was a "legitimate matter of public debate" which demanded proper scrutiny.

The language plays on those who want to raise the race card

Dr Howard Stoate, Labour MP

The matter has raised the question of whether it will be possible to discuss public policy on asylum-seekers - or any other issue in which race could be an issue - during the forthcoming election campaign?

We brought three politicians together from Kent, the Folkestone and Hythe MP Michael Howard, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Folkestone, Peter Carroll, and Labour's, Dr Howard Stoate, MP for Dartford.