BNP councillors who demanded gipsies be run out of the district came under fire last night.

The criticism follows a motion put to full Council calling for Bradford's two legal travellers sites to be closed down and all "necessary measures" to be taken to discourage gipsies from entering the district in the first place.

Head of democratic services Salman Mather first warned that the BNP's call was in breach of the Council's own policies on race relations and housing.

Then three separate amendments by Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrat groups were all voted down - alongside the BNP motion.

Labour had asked for an urgent meeting with the police, for a review of Council security on vulnerable sites to be carried out and for eviction orders to be speeded up.

The Conservatives said the Council should accept it had "no option other than to follow statutory advice" from the Government regarding providing legal sites for travellers.

And the Liberal Democrats said they thought the two existing sites were essential and that they "abhor any attempt by racists to condemn entire racial groups for what may be the unacceptable behaviour of some members of that group".

Following the full council meeting, deputy Labour group leader David Green (Wibsey) told the Telegraph & Argus it had ended in a "farce".

"The BNP resolution is tarring those 70 innocent families on the two legitimate sites with the same brush as those who break onto land and set up camp illegally," he said.

Earlier this month the Telegraph & Argus reported how Home Office minister Gerry Sutcliffe wants the police to get tough on gipsies.

He said they are failing to use their powers to kick travellers off illegal campsites - and there have been more than 30 set up in the district already this year. The Bradford South MP, who has recently been appointed Under-Secretary for Criminal Justice and Offender Management, said West Yorkshire Police were "too reluctant" to use powers to remove trespassers from land.

He highlighted one recent camp at Emsley recreation ground in Marshfields where the travellers are thought to have broken into the site using wire cutters.

Previous police policy saw them encouraging the landowner to seek an eviction order through the courts. But this was reviewed leading to a change in March. Now each camp will be individually assessed.

The police said: "Forceful direct action by the police is not a solution in the first instance and is only appropriate under existing protocols after alternative approaches have been exhausted."

There are two legal sites for travellers in Bradford - at Bowling and Esholt - which are often full. There are none in neighbouring Kirklees or Calderdale.

In the last couple of months travellers have moved onto sites in Wyke, Odsal, High Fernley, Undercliffe and Oakenshaw as well as Marshfields.

e-mail: jo.winrow@bradford.newsquest.co.uk