ALL three main political parties have reacted with horror to the news that the British National Party (BNP) is to set up a branch in the Basingstoke and Hart council areas, and may even put up a General Election candidate.

Roger Robertson, a candidate for the party at last week's Hart District Council elections, polled nine per cent of the vote in the Hook ward.

He said it would be three or four months before a branch was set up and that the party hoped to put up candidates at next year's county council elections.

"The BNP is part of the political landscape," he added. "I would also suggest a BNP candidate will be standing at the General Election because we are making such good progress. But our finances are very limited and we will have to target our resources."

He said many issues facing local government were heavily influenced by immigration in the South East.

The party also made its presence felt in the European elections, taking 2.9 per cent of the vote in both Basingstoke and Hart areas.

Mr Robertson, 58, who is from Phoenix Green, said: "We are absolutely elated with the results and have a strong groundswell of support."

But Paul Harvey, the prospective Labour party candidate for Basingstoke, condemned the BNP and said the party has no place in Basingstoke.

He said: "Their politics are utterly abhorrent and all democratic parties should work together to deal with any Fascist party which sets up."

Jen Smith, the prospective Liberal Democrat candidate, said: "All candidates have a responsibility to make sure the BNP does not get any support in Basingstoke."

The prospective Conservative candidate for Basingstoke, Maria Miller, said she thought Basingstoke voters would know what the BNP really stood for, having seen them off in the 1980s.