Complacency lets racists in via back-door

Teaming up with national black and anti-racist organisations including the 1990 Trust and National Assembly Against Racism it will now closely monitor the situation in Burnley.

It also warns major political parties to accept their culpability in making the BNP appear a more credible and respectable party by creating a political vacuum for the BNP occupy.

An ad-van poster based on the quote from 18th century parliamentarian Edmund Burke toured Oldham and Burnley in the final days of the election aimed at warning of the far-Right threat. The message on the poster warned that: "'All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.' Use your Voice. Use you Vote."

Simon Woolley, National Co-ordinator of OBV said: "Like France the UK elections have provided a devastating blow proving the dangers of complacency and the need to stand up and be counted. There were many good people who stayed at home today because they didn't think it made a difference. It could have made that difference. This lesson has had to be learnt the hard way. It is also a warning to major political parties to temper their language and not feed the vitriol that has legitimised the racists. One BNP MP is one too many."

Lee Jasper, Chair of OBV said: "Even after all their campaigning and a few seats they will be totally isolated in the town halls from all the major political parties. OBV will follow their every footstep to ensure they comply with the law and do not incite racial hatred. The BNP will find that functioning in the local council will be greatly difficult. More and more people will see over time that BNP is bad for business, bad for community and bad for the country. We will mobilise a wide coalition that will forever ensure the BNP do not get further up the political ladder. They won't last long."