Parties' anti-BNP plea to voters

Three political parties have urged voters not to hand the British National Party victory in a North Yorkshire by-election later this month.

A seat in the Bilton ward of Harrogate was left vacant after Liberal Democrat councillor Morris Lightfoot was jailed for attempting to groom a girl for sex.

Candidates for Labour, the Lib Dems and the Conservatives have urged residents to vote for any party except the BNP.

The BNP said it was the only party that put local people first.

BNP spokesman Chris Beverley said: "The fact that the Lib-Lab-Con cartel parties are working closely together against the British National Party just goes to show that there is no real difference at all between them.

"They are all liberal globalists who believe in destroying our country through mass immigration and giving away every last bit of our hard-earned sovereignty through our continued membership of the European Union."

Labour candidate Andrew Gray, Lib Dem candidate Clare McKenzie and Conservative candidate Sharon Bentley say they are working together to prevent the BNP having a presence on Harrogate Borough Council.

In a joint statement they said: "We stand united, to urge the people of Bilton to vote for anyone but the BNP in the by-election to be held on 19 February, 2009.

"There is no place for the BNP in Harrogate politics and they must be vehemently opposed.

"Together we have a duty to unite our communities and join forces against hatred, prejudice and intolerance."

The BNP's candidate for the election is Steven Gill.

On its website, the party said it was also planning to field candidates across the county in the June elections to North Yorkshire County Council.