'BNP threat at election time'

Published 6 May 2009 13:00 12 Comments

LOW turnout in next month's Euro-elections could hand a seat to the BNP, says Martin Salter.

The Reading West MP said "the lower the turnout, the better their chances", adding that a seat in the European Parliament would give the party a funding boost for their campaigns.

He said: "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 June 4 we could end up with the shame of the BNP winning one of the 11 seats in the South-East and having the right to speak on our behalf."

He was backed by Labour's Reading East candidate Anneliese Dodds and borough council leader Jo Lovelock, but the other main parties say that using the threat of BNP gains to scare people to the polls just gives the party the publicity it craves.

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