Fury after BNP is given platform slot at hustings

A row broke out after the BNP shared a platform with other parties for the first time in the course of London's mayoral election campaign.

Bob Bailey, second on the party's London Assembly list, appeared at last night's mayoral hustings at Kensington Temple, an evangelical church in Notting Hill. His presence caused uproar among members of Left List, previously known as Respect, whose representative, former Big Brother housemate Carole Vincent, stormed out in protest.

Mr Bailey, deputy leader of the official opposition on Barking and Dagenham Council, was also attacked by fellow politicians for being a racist.

Alan Craig of The Christian Choice said: "I am glad Kensington Temple had the courage to invite the BNP but I am sorry they came. They have a front to come to this church, which is known for being multicultural and diverse, to promote their racist agenda."

The BNP need only five per cent of the vote to secure a seat on the London Assembly. They have called on their supporters to vote for Boris Johnson as second preference - a call the Tory candidate has publicly repudiated.

The Tories and Liberal Democrats chose not to attend the event for fear of attracting unwanted publicity.

Bailey took the BNP's No 2 position after Nick Eriksen was forced to step down when he was identified as the author of far-Right blog Sir John Bull, that described rape as "simply sex".