THE British National Party has fielded a dozen candidates in the North Yorkshire County Council election, including four in Selby and one in Ryedale.

The organisation is contesting Selby Barlby, Selby Brayton, Sherburn-In-Elmet, Tadcaster, and Norton, as well as two seats in the Harrogate area and two in the borough of Scarborough.

It is the first time the British National Party (BNP) is fighting the election, which is taking place on June 4, when more than 250 candidates across North Yorkshire will be hoping to either retain their seat or win one. Of the seven districts and boroughs in the county – Selby, Ryedale, Scarborough, Hambleton, Richmondshire, Craven and Harrogate – the party has at least one candidate in all of them except Richmondshire, where it has none.

Selby Labour MP John Grogan said today that while the BNP had a perfect right to stand for election, he hoped that voters in the Selby district would reject its message. “If BNP councillors were to get elected in Selby district it would tarnish the image of the area and make it much more difficult to attract new jobs and investment,” he said. “Some of our pensioners in the area spent their youth fighting fascism in the Second World War and I hope the voters of Selby will reject those who espouse a similar philosophy.”

Responding to Mr Grogan’s comments, and referring to the parliamentary expenses row, Simon Darby, deputy leader of the BNP, said: “It’s rather ironic that the MP should be concerned about tarnishing images when you consider what’s been happening in what I refer to as ‘Troughminster’. I think what we’ve seen this week, with the greed and complete contempt that these MPs show for the public, I don’t think there’s anything more powerful I could ever come up with. One thing they can’t say about the BNP – we’re not in it for the money.” He said the party was confident of winning seats in the election.

York MP Hugh Bayley said: “There’s a lot of disillusionment with politicians at the moment. But I would urge people to think very carefully before voting for the BNP.

“They should find out what the BNP really stands for and should certainly not back them as a protest vote.”

The BNP is also contesting the European Parliamentary election, also happening on June 4, when it hopes to win its first parliamentary seat.

Speaking about the European election, Mr Darby said: “We’re confident of winning a seat in Yorkshire and the Humber.

“It would certainly appear that there is public support to enable us to do that.”

The BNP fielded nine candidates in the City of York Council election in May 2007, but none of them were elected.