Stop the BNP, pleads Ken

The Mayor today urged Londoners to vote in elections for the capital's Assembly to stop the British National Party winning seats - even if it means backing one of his other opponents.

Ken Livingstone said his greatest fear for Thursday's vote was the possibility that the far-Right BNP could gain a toehold in the Assembly.

" That would be a tragedy for London. I would urge all Londoners to vote for political parties-committed to a tolerant-and multi-racial London, not necessarily my party," he said.

Mr Livingstone added that turnout of less than 33 per cent would help the far-Right. "Londoners could wake up and find that a party had been given the chance to spread its poison for the next four years," he said.

Speaking at the Wembley-Stadium site today during a visit with Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, he also said the Wembley project would provide a model for any Olympic Games sites.

Meanwhile the Mayor's Liberal Democrat election rival, Simon Hughes, today accused Mr Livingstone of making little or no progress on three quarters of manifesto pledges made before the 2000 election, including making the Tube "a showcase for the capital".