A CAMPAIGN by the BNP to encourage parents to pull their children out of religious education classes about non-Christian faiths has been condemned by the Bishop of Burnley.

The BNP is putting leaflets through doors, telling parents they have a right to opt their child out of such lessons, and also plans to hand them to parents and children outside the borough's schools when the new term starts in September.

Attached is a form that parents can fill in and send back to the school requesting that their child is withdrawn from religious education classes when other religions are being taught.

Steven Smith, a leading BNP activist, said: "Most, if not all of the public sector, including the teaching profession, is being led by hard line leftists who are intent upon destroying Britain's great institutions, including the church.

"These people are mentally sick and multi-faith education is being used to deliberately destroy the church.

"We are not trying to cause trouble. We simply want parents to know they can withdraw their child from the non-Christian elements they are not happy with.

"I don't think teachers and the education authority are going out of their way to inform parents and their kids that they don't have to sit in these classes."

Lancashire County Council has confirmed the Education Act 1996 gives parents the right to remove their children from religious education classes but the BNP's leaflet campaign has been condemned by religious and community leaders as "deplorable" and "divisive".

The Bishop of Burnley, the Rt Rev John Goddard, said: "The BNP has confused reality with their own agenda. Religious education in our schools is there to develop awareness and knowledge of the main faiths.

"It's about learning about matters of faith in a multi-cultural world, but religious instruction is helping someone to live by that faith.

"It might be good for the BNP to receive such instruction so they turn to Christ the Lord and away from discrimination and manipulation of the truth."

Burnley Labour councillor, Peter Kenyon, a former chairman of Towneley County High School's governing body, said the BNP's plans were "deplorable".

He said: "Religious education is intended to ensure people are familiar with Christian religion, but also to ensure that they are aware of, and sensitive to, other religions.

"It is necessary in a multi-cultural society that that should happen. The idea it should be restricted is quite unrealistic and very divisive."

Gawthorpe County High School governor, Pat Jones, said: "Any school worth their salt would see off anyone trying to distribute leaflets outside the school gates - we would at Gawthorpe."

Lancashire County Councillor Alan Whittaker, cabinet member for education, said all faith communities in the county had worked together for some years to create an agreed syllabus, recently judged excellent by OFSTED, which included all faiths and addressed the needs of those who were not religious.