'Labour has fuelled racial tensions'

Racial tension in inner cities has been increased by Labour's patronising attitudes towards minorities, Iain Duncan Smith's race adviser said today.

Mohammed Riaz, the Tory leader's aide on race issues, claimed Labour's policies had encouraged some white communities to believe they were being discriminated against in favour of non-whites, and that they were receiving fewer benefits.

The comments will push the highly sensitive issue of race farther up the agenda before next month's local elections which will decide the fate of 6,000 council seats.

The British National Party has already announced it will field 18 candidates in Oldham and Burnley, which saw some of the worst race riots for decades last year. Mr Duncan Smith chose Bradford to launch his Tory local election campaign where councillors believe they will have more ethnic minority councillors than Labour after next month.

Mr Riaz, who failed to win the Bradford West seat for the Tories last year, said his party had "exposed the patronising attitude, the 'don't worry, we'll look after you' attitude", and asked Labour: "What have you achieved?"