ANTI-fascist campaigners plan to leaflet thousands of homes across Basildon to urge voters not to support the BNP at next month's local elections.

The battleplan to stop the far-right party winning seats in the district was revealed at a meeting of Basildon Unite Against Fascism held at St Martin's Church hall, Basildon.

Angela Smith, Labour minister and Basildon and East Thurrock MP, led talks alongside trade union representatives.

She said: "The issue should never be swept under the carpet. It is not going to go away.

"The reason we are here is there are so many BNP candidates in the local elections.

"More BNP candidates have stood than ever before and you should not have any doubt about the size of the challenge this presents us."

She praised the Echo for its recent expose of the extremist November 9 Society, which has attempted to gain support from pensioners in the Pitsea area.

Mrs Smith said the actions of far-right parties create an atmosphere of "hatred and fear".

She said: "Many BNP voters are not racist.

"We need to be honest and ask people why they want to vote BNP and feel so alienated from the political process."