Bishop John Goddard backed colleagues across the Pennines who are asking Christians to deal an electoral blow in June's European and council elections.

Bishop Goddard said he was "delighted" and had nothing but praise for his Yorkshire counterparts.

The BNP says the party draws support from churchgoers.

'Just voting'

"West Yorkshire took the headlines but it's happening in various places where people have decided that no longer is it right to be generalised about their comments about the extreme right but need to be particular in our comments about the BNP," said the bishop.

He said this would enable the churches to encourage people to vote in a "just and careful way against any form of demeaning people by race or culture."

A BNP spokesman said the church leaders were out of touch with ordinary people and reality.