THE controversial document which has provoked another storm within Bolton UKIP was written by Cllr Paul Richardson after the approval of the new 700-place Muslim boys school at Wolfenden Street school in November.

Cllr Richardson, a member of the planning committee, abstained from the vote but took part in the discussion to argue that faith-based education would be "socially divisive".

He was interrupted by chairman Cllr Hanif Darvesh, because comments on the school’s intake could not be considered when deciding on a planning application which deals with "material concerns" — including the impact on traffic or the local area.

In The Elephant in the Town Hall he wrote: “It is obvious once again from all of this, that any mention, let alone criticism, of the onward march of social division between the Muslim culture and everybody else in the town is jumped upon and slapped down.

“This I could understand from the Labour members in pursuit of their client vote, but it seems that the Conservatives either from cowardice or their own cultivation of the Muslim vote are taking the same stance.”

Cllr Richardson goes on give a "brief history of Asian immigration" in Bolton, saying the current generation were now "superbly organised".

The "silent majority" of the indigenous population have been prompted into protest, he adds, referring to the Stop The Astley Bridge Mosque Facebook page.

He says that while "most contributors" would vote UKIP to solve this problem, the party needed to "avoid being associated with most of the sentiments expressed by these people".

He added: “They are right to blame the Labour group on Bolton Council which has for years patently and obviously block voted Muslim friendly applications through the Planning Committee as well as directing millions of pounds to so called 'deprived' areas which seem to coincide with areas of high ethnicity.

“What the Labour group fail to realise is that whereas their antics in the past have been a political game to massage their client vote, to persist in this will only inflame anti-Islamic sentiments among many of the majority population and in the final analysis could even result in a complete breakdown in community relations and possible disorder on the streets.

“UKIP Bolton must make it clear that we are not anti Islamic but we will promote social integration and we will not subscribe to anything that is socially divisive.

“This is the elephant in the town hall and we must be the ones to talk about it.”