A LEADING councillor has challenged the British National Party to let voters know where they intend to field candidates in next year's elections in Hyndburn.

Councillor Tim O'Kane also wants the far right party to outline its policies and spending plans.

The Hyndburn Council cabinet member says his Clayton-le-Moors ward is a "natural target" for the BNP, and expects them to challenge Coun John Burke for his seat in May.

Coun Burke was reselected by the Labour Party on Monday, subject to ratification by the borough's Labour general council.

The BNP already has three councillors in Burnley and one in Blackburn and has announced plans to stand in Hyndburn and Clitheroe in the next local government elections, although it has yet to confirm which wards.

"They always target places that don't have ethnic minorities, such as Clayton-le-Moors," said Coun O'Kane.

"They want to frighten people into thinking 'Vote for us, otherwise you are going to be swamped'. So Clayton-le-Moors is a natural target - and Altham.

"If they are going to stand in these areas, we want to know who their candidate is and where their policies are.

"If this was a BNP-run council, what would they do about setting the council tax?

"How do they go about setting a budget, what skills have they got, and how are they going to make life better for people? What's a fair level of council tax for a BNP council?

"We don't want some tatty last-minute leaflet packed with lies and trying to mislead people.

"The ten people who are going to sign Coun Burke's nomination papers are going to be ex-mayors, justices of the peace and other respected members of the community. We want to know what kind of person is going to back a BNP candidate."

Coun O'Kane said one successful BNP candidate in Hyndburn could hand power to them by potentially splitting the council.

"In Hyndburn we are particularly close with 18 Labour councillors and 17 Conservative," he said.

Simon Bennett, East Lancashire spokesman for the BNP, said it was too early to say which Hyndburn wards they would be targeting.

"That will be revealed in January or February. We will be having a strategy meeting about key activists and we will decide where our strengths lie.

"We are looking at all areas of East Lancashire and we are certainly interested in Hyndburn.

"That is probably the last area we would like to break into and have a presence.

"We are a party that's small in the number of activists so it all depends on the resources and personnel available in the area."