SIR It is significant that despite the British National Party having lost one seat in Bradford at the recent local elections, it would have won a further seven seats if it had polled a further 1,000 votes scattered among those wards.

It may be argued that exhortations from politicians, the Bishop of Bradford, public figures like Billy Bragg and even from the T&A for the electorate not to vote BNP has proved counter-productive as the party had gained from the publicity.

It may further be argued that after many years of failing the people, politicians are the least-qualified people to advise the electorate who, quite frankly, dislike being patronised and lectured.

It is clear that support for the BNP arises from a feeling of alienation from conventional politics, and unless integrity is reintroduced within the political process, more votes of protest will be cast.

The BNP would thus gain more seats from this sense of alienation and it would be doubtful whether Mr Greenwood, leader of the Labour Group, could then so easily ignore their presence in the Council!

Alec Suchi, Allerton Road, Bradford.