Guardian Unlimited | BNP will secure election broadcast with record number of candidates

The far right British National Party will be entitled to a party political broadcast and a free mailshot to 7 million voters as it puts up a record number of candidates in the forthcoming general election, the Guardian has learned. According to a confidential briefing document sent to Labour MPs, the BNP will field between 100 and 120 candidates, three times more than at the 2001 general election. The memo, prepared by the anti-fascist organisation Searchlight, states that senior figures within the extremist organisation plan to target seats held by members of the shadow cabinet as well as focusing on its "traditional strongholds" in West Yorkshire, the north-west, the Midlands and east London. Although BNP leaders accept they will not win any seats, they hope the election campaign - with its focus on immigration and asylum - will help them to build on their existing support in preparation for an "onslaught" in the 2006 local elections. "This is a very important campaign for the BNP," said Nick Lowles from Searchlight. "They are hoping to use it to establish a more efficient campaigning network and a solid base which will turn out to vote at every election.