Labour's Fear of the BNP

Just how seriously the Labour Party took the British National Party's challenge in last November's council elections has been extensively reported in "Burnley Bravepages" (see Poll Shock as BNP Vote hits 20%).

But over Christmas there were revelations from a former Burnley councillor that further illustrated the extent of Labour's fear of the BNP polling well in the Lowerhouse, Trinity and Rosehill wards. Harry Brooks of Bouldsworth Road, in a letter to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, revealed just how much outside help New Labour received.

"Labour's campaign was dominated by a major contribution in staffing resources by full-time employees of the party, some of them senior status, mainly from the party's regional headquarters in Warrington but also from the Millbank headquarters in London."

It was hardly surprising that the BNP's local leafletters, who turned out each evening after after completing a full day's work, proved no match for Labour's highly paid, full-time, imported staff from London and Warrington.

But voters might well take a moment out from the season festivities to ponder on which of the two sets of campaigners really had the well-being of the people of Burnley at heart.





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