THE BNP is fielding more candidates in Merseyside then ever before it emerged last night after nominations closed for May’s local elections.
The extreme-right party is standing in 11 wards in Liverpool, 10 in St Helens, six in Sefton, two in Wirral, and two in Knowsley.
Last night, the Merseyside Coalition Against Racism and Facism said it would be delivering leaflets in all wards the BNP was standing in a bid to ensure the far- right party did not win any seats.
“They did not win any seats last year, and they will not get any this year,” said Alec McFadden, president of the Merseyside Coalition Against Racism and Facism.
In Liverpool, the contest promises to be the most interesting for years.
Labour is hoping to gain control of the council out of the hands of the Lib-Dems for the first time in a decade,
While the minority parties – the Liberals (four councillors) and the Greens (one seat) – are also looking to increase their share of the 90 seats, while the Conservatives are hoping to gain a seat for the first time in years.
The Greens are fielding candidates in every seat in Liverpool and Wirral.
Lib-Dems currently hold 47 seats, Labour 36, the Liberals four, Greens one, and there is one independent, and a vacancy.
The ruling Lib-Dem leadership is marred by ongoing Standards Boards investigations, while the council was named the worst in the country by the Audit Commission because of its “weak” finances.
The party has also been rocked by the high-profile resignation of education leader Cllr Paul Clein and two defections in the past weeks.
But the Lib-Dems point to a relative reduction in the council tax burden since they took over and the regeneration of the city as their major achievements.
The main battlegrounds are Anfield, Belle Vale, Central, County, Croxteth, Fazakerley, Greenbank, Kensington, Knotty Ash, Picton, Princes Park, St Michael’s, and Yew Tree.
According to sources, the Lib-Dems and the Liberals have done a deal not to stand against each other in certain seats.
The Liberals are not standing in Belle Vale, Croxteth, Knotty Ash, and St Michael’s, while the Lib- Dems are not fielding candidates in Clubmoor and Norris Green.
Council leader Warren Bradley is “up-beat” and confident his party will still be in control after May 1.
The election is also a family affair for Cllr Bradley as his wife, Pauline, is standing in the Kirkdale ward.
One of his deputies, leisure leader Cllr Colin Eldridge last night said: “Everyone knows that elections in Liverpool are between the Lib- Dems and Labour.
“For the first time in years, it’s going to be a close-run thing.
“We remain confident that our record of 10 successful years will ensure that the electorate give us a chance to carry on improving Liverpool.”
Labour leader Cllr Joe Anderson said: “We are looking forward to people making their decision based on the council’s performance in the past 10 years.
“People are fed up of Liverpool being ridiculed by the Lib-Dems and their mismanagement of the city.”
Martyn Barber, who is running the Conservatives’ campaign in Liverpool, said the party is hopeful of capturing the Woolton seat.
“People don’t have to vote Lib-Dem there to keep Labour out because Labour can’t win that seat.
“If you are a Conservative, vote Conservative and give us a chance, because over the last 18 months the Lib-Dems have presided over after mismanagement after mismanagement.”
Log on to www.liverpool dailypost.co.uk from Monday morning for the full list of candidates for councils across Merseyside.
