THE British National Party will swamp the Midlands with candidates at the General Election this May.
The Sunday Mercury has discovered that nearly FIVE times as many racehate activists will contest seats across the region than last time Britain went to the polls in 2001.
One is former Midland maths teacher Simon Smith, who was forced out of his job last May after his party membership was revealed.
BNP organisers say that the massive election drive is part of a move to break through into the political mainstream.
But last night, opponents of the farright group said they doubted Midland voters would fall for the party's cynical tactics.
Tom Watson, Labour MP for West Bromwich East, faces a fight from the BNP's Carl Butler in his constituency. "They play on people's fears and do nothing to help local communities," he said. "I'm sure they will be rejected by the voters."
Across the rest of Britain the BNP plans a threefold increase in members standing for parliament.
In 2001 the party fielded 33 members across the country. This year the figure has been set provisionally at 104 - and could yet be upped to 120.
In the Midlands just five candidates
stood four years ago. This time that total will rise to at least 22.
Simon Darby, the BNP's West Midlands organiser, said: "We had some impressive results in the recent European elections and that is why we are putting up so many candidates this time.
"The Midlands will see more seats contested than in any region other than Yorkshire.
"That is a sign of our intent. The Conservatives will be worried about our threat.
"We have chosen seats where we know we can really make an impact. "We are confident that we will do well."
Mr Smith, who is 43, will be fighting Labour's John Spellar for his Warley
seat in the Black Country. The BNP activist was suspended from teaching at St Peter's RC Secondary School in Solihull last year after it was revealed that he was standing as a candidate for the party in the European elections.
Gerry Gable, of anti-fascist group Searchlight, told the Sunday Mercury: "While the BNP is contesting a lot of seats, many of these will be 'paper' candidates.
"The party will not give heavy backing to more than eight activists in reality, those who have the best chance of doing well.
"I expect them to target Stoke South in particular, where they have already had local election success."
tom_wells@mrn.co.uk
TARGET
AREAS
The Sunday Mercury has obtained a list of the 22 Midlands constituencies the BNP will be standing in and the names of some of the candidates.
They are: Denis Adams (Birmingham Hodge Hill); Robert Purcell (Birmingham Yardley); Sharon Ebanks (Birmingham Erdington), and Mark Cattell (Birmingham Northfield).
Simon Darby (Dudley North); John Salvage (Dudley South); Coun Jamie Lloyd (West Bromwich West); Carl Butler (West Bromwich East); Simon Smith (Warley), and Martin Roberts (Worcester).
Other seats to be contested are Walsall North; Walsall South; Aldridge & Brownhills; Solihull; Stoke North; Stoke South; Stoke Central; Newcastle-under-Lyme; Wolverhampton South-West; Coventry North-West; North Warwickshire, and Burton.
