British National Party candidate for the Chippenham constituency, Councillor Michael Simpkins, has today been informed that he will not be allowed to take part in an election hustings held for the benefit of the people of Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire this Friday 26th February.

This is because the Conservative candidate, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones (who calls himself The Black Farmer) has refused to take part alongside the BNP candidate in this or any other election meetings held in the future with the backing of Parliamentary Conservative Party.

To their credit all the other parties' candidates agreed to share a platform with Cllr. Simpkins, a well respected member of Corsham Town Council.

Chairman for the Bradford on Avon Senior Citizens Forum, Mr Alan Knight, who are hosting Friday's meeting stated. "The Forum Committee and the Liberal Democrats, Labour, UKIP and Green Party Candidates, all quickly agreed that it would be right to offer you a place on the platform.

However, I regret to inform you that the Conservative Candidate did not see it as a straightforward matter.
He declared that if you were given a place on our platform, or on any other platform come to that, he would decline to appear with you because of his personal views on the British National Party. Thus we were faced with the practical position that either you or the Conservative Candidate would be on our platform, but not both.

A Conservative Whip in the House of Commons informed us today that under the current Conservative Party Guidelines to its MP's and Prospective Candidates, it is indeed the personal right of the Candidate to say 'yes'or'no'

Speaking of the decision Cllr Simpkins said." I am very disappointed with the outcome but thank the committee and other candidates for at least being prepared to allow me to join in the debate with them.
Mr Emmanuel-Jones claims to be proud to be British but has yet failed to learn the British sense of fair play. The man is a coward and is obviously scared to debate the real issues that are affecting this country with the only party that has the policies to put them right. All I want is a level playing field, let the voters hear me and decide for themselves."
(After New Labour we now have the New Conservative Party, Ed:)

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